Home
Q&A
How do you use infinitives in Spanish?

How do you use infinitives in Spanish?

1
vote

In what cases do you use a + infinitive or just infinitive?

For example, "a comer" vs. "comer". They both mean "to eat" in English, so I'm confused.

3967 views
updated Mar 17, 2011
posted by jellyksong
Great question! Welcome to the forum! - 0066c384, Mar 17, 2011

3 Answers

1
vote
updated Mar 17, 2011
posted by lorenzo9
That is a very helpful link. :) - 0066c384, Mar 17, 2011
1
vote

In such cases the 'a' does not go with the infinitive it goes with the preceding verb. e.g. "Voy a comer." should be understood as "conjugated verb followed by 'voy a (or, more generally, some preposition)" + infinitive. In many/most cases the preposition will have no exact translation in English (the infinitive, itself can be translated as "to ...")

updated Mar 17, 2011
posted by samdie
I got the same idea.:) - Deanski, Mar 17, 2011
0
votes

Anything that is uncongugated is to+verb.

  • Comer= to eat
  • Dormir= to sleep
  • Trabajar= to work

Hope this helps!

updated Mar 17, 2011
posted by night92hawk