"tras" followed by an infinitive verb form
By accident, I should say, I discovered that the following seems correct: "tras encontrar"= after finding, "tras descubrir"= after discovering, "tras comer"= after eating, "tras jugar"= after playing. I am still learning Spanish verbs, so can someone explain what is going on here?
3 Answers
"Tras" is a preposition that can be equivalent to "detrás" or "después de". In the second case, "tras" can be often found followed by an infinitive (not always).
Se fueron tras cenar = Se fueron después de cenar (They left after having dinner).
"Tras" is usually used only in formal registers. We usually use "después de" in everyday speech.
This is known as a "prepositional infinitive". It is a common use of the infinitive form of a verb, and equates roughly to the English gerund (verb + "ing"). The Spanish conjugations ending with "ando", or "iendo" are also translated to the English gerund form, but those conjugations are incorrect as the object of a prepositional phrase.
Corrections are appreciated.
Hello campbell. Normally, you would use "Después de + infinitive" because después de means 'afterwards', whereas 'tras' is usually used for something that is next in line or 'after' the previous one. Hope that makes sense...Jool.
