use of verb infinitive

Question

I still get confused about whether I should be using the infinitive of a verb in a sentence. Which of the following would be correct:

Ella se quitó los zapatos y se sentó o Ella se quitó los zapatos y sentarse

(she took off her shoes and sat down)

Gracias de antemano

Good question! - --Mariana--, May 22, 2011

When you edit your question, try to cross out what you did wrong and put the correct word next to it. If you just correct it, then the comments that follow below don't make any sense... you can use the (s) and (/s) before and after the mistake. - Tosh, May 22, 2011

Just change the ( ) to < >. Doing that will help the rest of us see the mistake... and then the correction! :) - Tosh, May 22, 2011

erm, it depends what was corrected! If the correction would have affected any of the comments then I would have done as you suggested. The edit was a simple typo. - billygoat, May 22, 2011

Answer 1

Ella se quitó los zapatos y se sentó o Ella se quitó los zapatos y sentarse

The first one is not one sentence, but two connected with "y": [Ella] Se quitó los zapatos. + [Ella] Se sentó. Both verbs must be fully conjugated.

Ella quita los zapatos y sentarse (she takes off her shoes and sits down)

Those are two sentences again (and you haven't clarified whose shoes she took off). It should be:

[Ella] Se quitó los zapatos + [Ella] Se sentó = [Ella] Se quitó los zapatos y se sentó.

An infinitive alone cannot form a full sentence. It has to rely on a fully conjugated verb, which is the one that indicates person, number, tense, mood... I.e. infinitives are always subordinated to finite verbs, embedded into a larger sentence.

Lazarus, you are amazing. You have the ability to explain something so simply but also so completely. I understand this perfectly well now and can see why, of course, both verbs need to be conjugated. Thank you so much. - billygoat, May 22, 2011

Answer 2

This is also an important lesson on how to use the infinitive as a noun.

In this lesson, we look at instances where the infinitive functions as a noun. In other lessons linked to on this page, we look at the ways that infinitive functions with other verbs and prepositions, sometimes in ways that are unlike the use of the infinitive in English.

noun:

As a subject: Nadar es el mejor remedio para el dolor de espalda. Swimming is the best remedy for a backache.

As a subject: Es prohibido fumar. Smoking is prohibited. (Note: In Spanish, unlike English, it isn't unusual for the subject to follow the verb of the sentence.)

As a subject: El beber puede conducir a la intoxicación e incluso a la muerte. Drinking can lead to poisoning and even death.

As a subject: No me gusta cocinar. I don't like to cook.(Note: Literally, the sentence would be translated as "cooking doesn't please me.")

As a predicate nominative: La vida es un abrir y cerrar de los ojos. Life is an opening and closing of the eyes.

As a predicate nominative: La intimidad es un hablar honesto y profundo de lo que se siente y se piensa. Intimacy is speaking sincerely and deeply about what one feels and thinks.

As the object of a verb: Yo preferiría salir. I would prefer to leave.

As the object of verb: Odio estudiar algo que creo que no necesito. I hate studying something I believe I don't need.

As the object of a preposition: Pienso de salir contigo. I'm thinking about leaving with you.

As the object of a preposition: Ten moderación en el comer o el beber. Show moderation in eating or drinking.

As the object of a preposition: Al entrar al Sistema de Salud, usted y su empresa recibirán enormes beneficios. Upon entering the Health System, you and your business will receive great benefits.

thanks for your time Mariana......off I go now to read all about it :-) - billygoat, May 22, 2011

Está prohibido fumar. - lazarus1907, May 22, 2011

Pienso salir contigo (no preposition) - lazarus1907, May 22, 2011

In the last two examples, the infinitives are not objects of a preposition. - lazarus1907, May 22, 2011

Wow....I guess I should have reviewed this before posting. It's from Spanish.About.com - --Mariana--, May 22, 2011

Answer 3

Ella se quitó los zapatos y se sentó = She took off her shoes and sat down.

If you use the infinitive, and not the conjugated verb, it would mean that no action had taken place.

It would read "She took off her shoes and to seat oneself."

The infinite would be used if it directly followed a conjugated verb, e.g.,

Quiero sentarme (to seat myself) aquí.

Ella va a sentarse (to seat herself) allí.

oh right, thank you! This makes sense. I was taking it literally that if it was the same person (ie subject) and a verb followed another verb, then the 2nd (and subsequent) verbs were in the infinitive. I still have much to learn :-( - billygoat, May 22, 2011

Answer 4

Ella se quitó los zapatos y se sentó = She took off her shoes and sat down.

If you use the infinitive, and not the conjugated verb, it would mean that no action had taken place.

It would read "She took off her shoes and to seat oneself."

I've had a good read around this subject (as Mariana suggested) but all I've done is succeeded in confusing myself even more now lol

My sentence above is clearly using the same subject (ella) so why is it translated as "she took off her shoes and to seat oneself" and not "she took off her shoes and seated herself"? (Ella se quitó los zapatos y sentarse)

Becuase the infinitive translates to the infinitive in English in this case: "She took off her shoes and to seat herself." Your sentence in English used the past tense and the Spanish sentence needs to do the same. - lorenzo9, May 22, 2011

If you didn't have two independent clauses joined by a conjunction, but rather two verbs in a row (perhaps with a preposition), you would use the infinitive for the second one, eg. "quiere caminar" or "aprende a hablar". - lorenzo9, May 22, 2011

Answer 5

Because the infinitive translates to the infinitive in English in this case: "She took off her shoes and to seat herself." Your sentence in English used the past tense and the Spanish sentence needs to do the same. - lorenzo9 2 mins ago flag

Ive cut and paste Lorenzo's comment above into this answer so that it can clearly be seen by all.

So, its the tense that makes a difference then! Therefore, would the infinitive be used if my sentence said:

Ella quita los zapatos y sentarse (she takes off her shoes and sits down)

The English sentence still uses the conjugated verb, and the Spanish sentence does too. This time it's in the present tense. - lorenzo9, May 22, 2011