Use of ''a'' between two infinitive verbs
Ex:
Espero intentar ayudar - I hope to try and help.
I was reading the Spanish news yesterday and I realised that between two non-conjugated verbs they used ''a''.
Espero intentar a ayudar.
Is the rule that you have to use ''a'' between to verbs in the infinitive?
7 Answers
I think the use of a and the infinitive is confusing! My gammar book says some verb take "a" before an infinitive and after verbs of motion "a" indicates purpose.
1.Verbs taking "a" before an infinitive
Ayudar a estudiar to help to study
Decidir a seguir to decide to continue
2. After verbs of motion to show purpose
ir a to be going to
Your example may indicate purpose
As far as I know intentar shouldn't be followed by 'a'. Intentar means 'to try to' the 'to' is included so 'a' is not necessary.
There are however quite a few verbs that are followed by 'a' or another preposition such as 'de' etc, sometimes there's more than one option and the meaning if the verb changes depending in which preposition you use: here's a helpful list I found on the net ...
acabar + -ndo to end up (doing something)
acabar de + inf. to have just (done something)
acabar por + inf. to end up by
acordarse de + inf. to remember to
amenazar + inf. to threaten to
amenazar con + inf. to threaten with
anhelar + inf. to long to
acostumbrarse a + inf. to be used to
alegrarse de + inf. to be happy to
aprender a + inf. to learn how to
arrepentirse de + inf. to repent of
aspirar a + inf. to aspire to
atreverse a + inf. to dare to, be so bold as to
ayudar a + inf. to help to
cansarse de + inf. to get tired of
comenzar a + inf. to begin to
consistir en + inf. to consist of
contar con + inf. to count on
continuar + -ndo to continue to
contribuir a + inf. to contribute to
convenir en + inf. to agree to
correr a + inf. to run to
deber + inf. must, should, to ought to
deber de + inf. must, should
decidir + inf. to decide to
decidirse a + inf. to make up ones mind to
dedicarse a + inf. to dedicate oneself to
dejar de + inf. to stop
depender de + inf. to depend on
desear + inf. to desire to
detestar + inf. to detest
doler + inf. to hurt to
echarse a + inf. to bust out, start to
empezar a + inf. to begin to
enseñar a + inf. to teach how to
entrar + -ndo to go in (doing something)
esperar + inf. to hope to, expect to
estar + -ndo to be (doing something)
gustar + inf. to be pleasing [=like] to
hay que + inf. have to
importar + inf. to be important to
insistir en + inf. to insist on
intentar + inf. to try to
invitar a + inf. to invite to
ir + -ndo to go along (doing something)
ir a + inf. to be going to
jactarse de + inf. to brag about
lamentar + inf. to lament
lograr + inf. to manage to
llegar a + inf. to come to
molestar + inf. to bother
necesitar + inf. to need to
negarse a + inf. to refuse to
odiar + inf. to hate to
olvidar + inf. to forget to
olvidarse de + inf. to forget to
parar de + inf. to stop (doing something)
parecer + inf. to seem to
pensar + inf. to plan to, intend to
pensar de + inf. to think about (=have an opinion about)
pensar en + inf. to thing about (= to consider)
poder + inf. can, to be able to
ponerse a + inf. to start to, set about to
preferir + inf. to prefer to
prepararse a + inf. to prepare to
prometer + inf. to promise to
quejarse de + inf. to complain about
querer + inf. to want to
rehusar + inf. to refuse to
saber + inf. to know how to
salir + -ndo to go out (doing something)
salir a + inf. to go out to
seguir + -ndo to keep on (doing something)
sentir + inf. to regret
soler + inf. to be used to, to usually
soñar con + inf. to dream of
tardar en + inf to delay in, take time to
tener que + inf. to have to
terminar + -ndo to end up (doing something)
terminar de + inf. to stop
terminar por + inf. to end up (by doing something)
tratar de + inf. to try to
venir + -ndo to come (doing something)
venir a + inf. to come to
volver a + inf. to return to, to (do something) again
The a is not required in all cases. Here are some examples.
Quiero regresar a estudiar (regresar a)
Debemos ayudar a construir un país mejor (ayudar a)
Los especialistas estiman poder terminar el trabajo a tiempo (estimar)
and your example:
Espero intentar ayudar (esperar)
I hope to try to help/I hope to try helping = Espero intentar a ayudar.
I hope to try and help = Espero intentar y ayudar.
Does it help any? I am trying. You know?
I'm adding a list of flashcards I made on this subject if it would be helpful to anyone.
preposition a between 2 infinitive verbs
I am still confused. SD Dictionaries translate intentar as " to try". The source of this phrase was a spanish newspaper... which is not necessarily definitive in terms of gammar. My grammar book does not include intentar on list of verbs followed by "a" but says verbs of motion take "a"..... So what is it? A strict gammar issue or more of a preference issue? - gohern
Good question, RAE just categorically says that intentar shouldn't be followed by 'de' but doesn't mention 'a'.
intentar. ‘Procurar [algo]’. El complemento directo no debe ir introducido por la preposición de (? dequeísmo): «Los hinchas corrieron intentando de acompañar al pullman» (Tiempo [Col.] 12.6.97); debió decirse intentando acompañar.
Personally though, I haven't come across one reference work that says that you can follow intentar by 'a' and neither have I seen or heard it used with 'a' before the next infinitive. The options seem to be either just an infinitive or que so I would suggest that it's a mistake, but I am far from infallible and perhaps the 'a' is used in some places on a regional level?? 
Here is a helpful link: Spanish verbs with preposition a
Does this have anything to do with the verbs that are also perífrasis verbales? Maybe the periphrases need the 'a' or 'de' but regular verbs don't?
Just curious since many on Kiwi's list seem to also be because they are the verbal phrases that just go together.
