How do you put two verbs in a row in a sentence?
For example, when you are saying that you "love to eat". That is two different verbs Encantar and comer. I hope you know what I am trying to say.
5 Answers
When making a basic sentence, you would conjugate the first verb, then use the infinitive for the 2nd. For example: Me gusta comer... Me gusta=gustarse--> me gusta
Then add comer (to eat) to the conjugated verb. You get Me gusta comer. You could also say Me encanta comer which would be more like you love to eat rather than to like to eat.
I'm sure there are exceptions to this, as someone pointed out in an above post. Like: No puedo irme bailar. (I can't go dancing).
Hope that helps! (Please excuse any mistakes haha) ![]()
Actually, it's not nearly as random and case-by-case as Hackerking suggests above, although it is totally true regarding which preposition, if any, to use.
The verbs themselves work about the same as in English and as Rodney pointed out. You'll generally conjugate the first one, and use the infinitive of the second.
I want to go. Quiero ir. I need to talk. Necesito hablar. I prefer to walk Prefiero caminar. I must race Debo correr.
For the first question, "love to eat": Remember that the verb "encantar" is like "gustar" in that it requires an indirect object pronoun. Encantar is "to charm, to enchant, to delight" and then you insert the "to or for whom" indirect object pronoun in front of the conjugated verb "encanta"=it enchants/delights, or "encantan"=they enchant/delight [me]. Gustar is "to please", so "it pleases me", or "they please me".
Me gusta comer = Eating pleases me. Me gustan comer y beber - Eating and drinking [they both] please me. Me gusta el chocolate = Chocolate pleases me. Me gustan todos los tipos de chocolate = All types of chocolate are pleasing to me. "Like" and "Love" don't really translate the same way.
So, for encantar and gustar you will use 3rd person singular or 3rd person plural conjugations in the correct tense.
The indirect object pronouns to be used: Me - to or for me Te - to or for you (familiar you) Le - to or for him, her, you (formal) Nos - to or for us Les - to or for them, or you plural (Ustedes)
I hope that makes sense.
There's an article about it right here, but I found it a bit confusing when I first read it.
Basically, there is no one hard and fast rule to this. Each combination of Verb + Other Verb must be learned on a case-by-case basis as you learn the verb. That being said, usually, it is Verb (+ Preposition) + Other Verb in the infinitive , with the preposition varying from verb to verb.
What I do is I either wait till I hear/read the verb "out in the wild" of I look up the verb in the dictionary and scroll to the example sentences. For example, my teacher once said "Me encanta jugar fútbol." This automatically tells you that it it "Encantar + Other Verb in infinitive so you would say "Me encanta comer" for "I love to eat"
Some examples I picked up from "the wild" (listening and reading content from Spanish speakers):
Empezar + a + Other verb in Infinitive = "Empezaron a bailar"
Odiar + Infinitive = "Odio rapear"
Acabar + de + Infinitive = "Acabas de hacer la cama"
Typically one of the verbs is going to be conjugated. This is going to be the case the vast majority of the time.
Me encanta comer. I love to eat.
Notice encantar has been conjugated.
Occassionally you will have two infinitives together.
No voy a poder ir al restaurante. I'm not going to be able to go to the restaurant.