Infinitive of Spanish Verbs

When to use the infinitive in Spanish

We use the infinitive in Spanish after certain verbs and prepositions.

The infinitive form can appear as a verb or a noun. As a noun, we can often translate it as the English -ing form (eating, doing, going, etc.).

Example:

Comer sano es muy importante.Eating healthily is very important.

here the infinitive acts as a noun: eating

As a verb, the Spanish infinitive can be translated into English with to (to eat, to do, to go, etc.).

Example:

Quiero comer más sano.I want to eat more healthily.

here the infinitive acts as a verb: to eat

Use the lists below to learn which words trigger the infinitive in Spanish grammar.

The infinitive in expressions with es

es + noun + infinitive

We use the infinitive in expressions with es + noun, similar to the English structure it’s a joy to…, it’s my pleasure to …

Example:

Es un placer ayudar cuando alguien necesita consejo.It’s a pleasure to help when someone needs assistance.

Common examples include:

• es una alegríait’s a pleasure (to…)
• es mi deberit’s my duty (to…)
• es un placerit’s a pleasure (to…)
• es mi obligaciónit’s my job (to…)
• es una vergüenzait’s a shame (to…)

es + adjective + infinitive

We also use the infinitive in expressions with es + adjective, similar to the English structure it’s good/bad/important … to.

Example:

No es fácil jugar así.It’s not easy to play like that.

Common examples include:

• es difícilit’s difficult (to…)
• es fácilit’s easy (to…)
• es importanteit’s important (to…)
• es (im)posibleit’s (im)possible (to…)
• es (in)necesarrioit’s (un)necessary (to…)
• es (in)útilit’s useless/useful (to…)
• es mejorit’s better (to…)
• es peorit’s worse (to…)
• es peligrosoit’s dangerous (to…)

List of Spanish verbs that take the infinitive

Certain Spanish verbs are followed directly by the infinitive.

Modal Verbs

We use the infinitive directly after the following modal verbs:

• debershould
• quererwant
• poderbe able to
• saberknow
• solerusually do
• tener quehave to

Example:

Debes empezar en el nivel de iniciación.You have to start at the beginner’s level.

Quiero comprar una buena raqueta.I want to buy a good racquet.

Other verbs

The infinitive also appears directly after the following verbs:

• celebrarcelebrate
• conseguirget
• decidirdecide
• deseardesire)
• esperarhope (to…)
• evitaravoid
• intentartry (to…)
• jurarswear (to…)
• lograrachieve/manage (to…)
• necesitarneed (to…)
• pensarthink about
• planearplan (to…)
• prefirirprefer (to…)
• prometerpromise (to…), proponersepropose
• recordarremember (to…)

Example:

Espero jugar a nivel profesional algún día.I hope to play at the professional level one day.

Necesitas practicar más.You need to train more.

Verb + de + infinitive

• alegrarse debe happy to/about
• arrepentirse deto regret
• avergonzarse debe ashamed of
• cansarse deget tired of
• dejar destop
• encargarse detake care of
• olvidarse deforget about
• parar destop
• tratar dedeal with

Example:

Él nunca ha dejado de entrenar diariamente.He never stopped training daily.

Verb + en + infinitive

• detenerse entake your time
• dudar endoubt if
• empeñarse enbe set on doing something
• entretenerse enpass the time by doing
• estar + adjective + enbe good/bad/… at something
• insistir eninsist on
• pensar enthink about
• ser + adjective + enbe good/bad/… at
• tardar endelay in
• tener gusto enhappily do something
• tener interés enbe interested in
• ser el primero/último enbe the first/last to

Example:

Tengo interés en apuntar también a mi hijo a las clases.I’m also interested in signing my son up for classes.

Eres el primero en llegar a clase.You’re the first one to arrive at the class.

Expression + de + infinitive

• hacer el favor dedo (someone) the favour of
• correr peligro derun the risk of
• estar a punto debe about to (do something)
• estar + adjective + debe ready/happy/… to
• tener la costumbre debe in the habit of
• tener el derecho dehave the right to
• tener el deseo dehave the desire to
• tener ganas deto feel like (doing something)
• tener la intención dehave the intention of (doing something)

Example:

Tiene la costumbre de entrenar diariamente.He’s in the habit of training daily.

Estoy deseoso de empezar las clases.I’m keen to start classes.

Verb/expression + para + infinitive

• arreglárselas paramanage to (do something)
• autorizar a alguien parato authorise someone to do something
• es parabe about to (do something)
• estar + adjective + debe ready/happy/… to
• tener la costumbre deit’s for
• servir parabe used for
• tener motivo parahave reason to
• tener tiempo parahave time for
• tener permiso parahave permission to

Example:

No tengo tiempo para entrenar.I don’t have time to train.

Verb + por + infinitive

• esforzarse porstrive (to do something)
• estar + adjective + porbe ready/good/bad/… for
• luchar porfight for
• felicitar a alguien porcongratulate someone on

Example:

Me esfuerzo por ser el mejor.I strive to be the best.

Verb + con + infinitive

• amenezar conthreaten (someone with) something)
• bastar conto be enough/sufficient
• soñar condream about/of

Example:

Sueño con ser un jugador profesional.I dream of being a professional player.

Replacing a subordinate clause with an infinitive

We can use the infinitive after certain expressions to replace a subordinate clause (the second part of the sentence, often beginning with que). This makes the sentence shorter and more elegant.

Example:

Tenemos que entrenar duro a fin de que seamos los mejores.We have to train hard so that we can be the best.

→ Tenemos que entrenar duro a fin de ser los mejores.We have to train hard to be the best.

We can do this when the sentence contains the following expressions:

• a fin dein order to
• con ánimo dewith the aim of
• con el fin dewith the purpose of
• con (el) objeto dewith the objective of

Example:

Tenemos que entrenar duro a fin de ser los mejores.We have to train hard to be the best.

• hasta el punto deto the point that
• al extremo deso far that

Example:

Ha entrenado hasta el punto de no tener tiempo libre.He’s trained to the point of having no free time.

• a condición deon the condition that

Example:

Entrenaré contigo a condición de jugar diariamente.I’ll train with you on the condition that we play every day.

• porbecause of
• con el pretextounder the pretext of

Example:

No estudió lo suficiente con el pretexto de entrenar más horas.He didn’t study enough under the pretext of training more.

• a pesar debecause of

Example:

A pesar de entrenar muchas horas, no gané.Although I trained a lot, I didn’t win.

• además debesides/as well as
• en vez deinstead of
• a fuerza deby/via

Example:

A fuerza de mucho entrenar gané.I won by training hard.

Prepositions of time + infinitive

When we want to shorten a sentence that contains a preposition of time (cuando, hasta, antes, …), we have to change the preposition slightly.

Example:

Hablaré con el profesor antes de que empiece el entrenamiento.I’ll talk to the teacher before the training starts.

→ Hablaré con el profesor antes de entrenar.I’ll talk to the teacher before training.