Infinitive verbs in Spanish are the unconjugated forms of verbs often identified by their -AR, -ER, or -IR endings. No matter how new you are to Spanish, you’ve probably used common Spanish verbs in their infinitive form without realizing it.
So, what exactly is an infinitivo (infinitive) and when do we use them in Spanish? This guide will break down what a Spanish infinitive is, how to use them, and give you plenty of examples to see them in action.
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What is an infinitive in Spanish?
Infinitive verbs can be described in several ways. You might hear an “infinitive” called:
- the “non-personal” form of the verb;
- the “main” form of the verb;
- the “dictionary” form;
- the unconjugated/unchanged form;
- the form that ends in -AR, -ER, or -IR;
- the form that translates “to (verb)” in English.
You’ll find infinitive verbs throughout sentences in Spanish, at the top of conjugation charts, and in many vocabulary lists. They’re easy to spot because of their endings. Take a look at some infinitive examples in Spanish.
-AR verbs end in “-ar” in the infinitive form. This is the largest group of verbs in the Spanish language, accounting for more than 88% of the total number of Spanish verbs.
- trabajar (to work)
- estudiar (to study)
- viajar (to travel)
-ER verbs end in “-er” in the infinitive form.
- comer (to eat)
- querer (to want)
- leer (to read)
-IR verbs end in “-ir” in the infinitive form.
- vivir (to live)
- decidir (to decide)
- salir (to leave)
Why is it important to learn infinitives in Spanish?
Recognizing infinitive verbs in Spanish is just the first step. Knowing when and how to use infinitives is helpful for learning Spanish in several ways.
To conjugate verbs correctly
The infinitive form of a verb is identified by one of three endings (-AR, -ER, or -IR). These endings indicate which pattern a verb will follow when conjugated. Conjugation is how a verb changes form to match the subject of the sentence.
Knowing the infinitive form of the verb will help you choose the correct set of endings to use when conjugating verbs in Spanish, because -AR endings differ from -ER endings, and -IR endings in many cases.
- ¿Hablas español? = Do you speak Spanish? (hablar is an -AR verb)
- ¿Lees en español? = Do you read in Spanish? (leer is an -ER verb)
To expand your vocabulary
Many common Spanish nouns and adjectives are related to a verb infinitive. Knowing the infinitive is a good basis for comprehending many other words in Spanish, expanding your vocabulary quickly. Learn the infinitive viajar (to travel) and you’re well on your way to knowing el viaje (trip) and el viajero/la viajera (traveler).
| Spanish Infinitive | English Meaning | Related Spanish Word | English Meaning |
| cocinar | to cook | la cocina | the kitchen |
| comer | to eat | la comida | the food/the meal |
| descansar | to rest | cansado/cansada | tired |
| dormir | to sleep | dormido/dormida | asleep |
| trabajar | to work | el trabajo | the job |
| vivir | to live | vivo/viva | alive |
To communicate accurately
Knowing when and when not to use the infinitive can help you follow Spanish grammar rules so that you’ll be easily understood. English speakers may inaccurately translate word-for-word, so to say “I like running,” it might be tempting to use corriendo (running, gerund form). However, the correct sentence would be:
- Me gusta correr. = I like running/I like to run.
You’ll notice this difference quite often in cases where English favors the “-ing” form. However, infinitive verbs are more common in Spanish.
When to use the verb in the infinitive form
When you learn common patterns and sentence structures, it helps to notice where the infinitive verbs in Spanish are used instead of a conjugated verb.
Here are some of the most common types of sentences and structures where beginner and intermediate learners will need to learn to use infinitive verbs.
You can use infinitives as the subject of a sentence
You can use an infinitive as the subject of the sentence when it performs the action of the main verb.
- Leer a diario estimula el cerebro. = Reading daily stimulates the brain.
- Comer proteína ayuda al crecimiento muscular. = Eating protein helps with muscle growth.
Infinitives as subjects are considered masculine and singular and may even be preceded by the definite article el (the).
Infinitives can serve as simple answers to questions with hacer
In casual Spanish, if you’re asked a question about what you’re doing or what your plans are, you could give a straightforward answer with an infinitive as a standalone word.
- ¿Qué vas a hacer hoy? = What are you going to do today?
- Limpiar. = Clean.
- ¿Qué haces después de las clases? = What do you do after school?
- Descansar y jugar al baloncesto. = Rest and play basketball.
Use infinitives with verbs like gustar
After Spanish expressions like me gusta (I like), ¿te gusta…? (do you like), and no le gusta (he/she doesn’t like), you will find infinitive, or unconjugated verbs. Talking about likes and dislikes is one of the easiest ways to strike up a conversation, so knowing infinitives can help you respond to lots of social situations and make the most of a trip.
- Me gusta cocinar. = I like to cook/I like cooking.
- ¿Te gusta tocar el piano? = Do you like to play the piano?/Do you like playing the piano?
- Al niño no le gusta jugar al tenis. = The boy doesn’t like to play tennis./The boy doesn’t like playing tennis.
Notice that the infinitive might be expressed as the “-ing” form in English. Learn more about the Spanish verb gustar and similar verbs with the full guide to explain why it seems to work backwards compared to the English verb “to like,” and why the verb is actually the subject of sentences like these.
Place an infinitive after a conjugated verb
Often a conjugated verb is followed by a second verb in the infinitive form. These “double verb” type structures often follow the pattern “conjugated verb + infinitive,” as long as the subject of the sentence doesn’t change.
- Quiero mirar televisión, pero debo hacer ejercicio. = I want to watch tv, but I must exercise.
- Sus nietos aún no saben andar en bicicleta. = Their grandchildren still don’t know how to ride bikes.
- ¿Podemos cenar afuera hoy? = Can we eat dinner outside today?
- Este animal no puede nadar. = This animal can’t swim.
- No debes comprar eso. Es demasiado caro. = You mustn’t buy that. It’s too expensive.
Following conjugated verbs, multiple verbs in a list remain in the infinitive, so long as the subject doesn’t change.
- Esta mañana quiero limpiar, hacer ejercicio, y descansar un poco. = This morning I want to clean, to exercise, and to rest a little bit.
This chart shows common Spanish verbs that, when conjugated, are likely to be followed by an infinitive. Some of them include a preposition like a or que which is another trigger for an infinitive to follow. Use these helpful verbs to negotiate tasks with a roommate, plan events, or make suggestions.
| Spanish | English | Spanish Example | English Example |
| aprender a | to learn | Los niños aprenden a leer en la escuela. | The children learn to read in school. |
| deber | must/should | Debes arreglar tus cosas.Deberías hablar con ella. | You must tidy your things.You should speak with her. |
| hay que | it’s necessary to | Hay que limpiar el baño. | It’s necessary to clean the bathroom. |
| necesitar | to need | Necesitamos comprar más papel. | We need to buy more paper. |
| pensar | to plan on | Pienso ir de compras mañana. | I’m planning to go shopping tomorrow. |
| poder | to be able to/cancould | Pueden ver las luces.¿Podrías preparar la cena? | They can see the lights.Could you prepare dinner? |
| preferir | to prefer | Prefieren comer en casa. | They prefer to eat at home. |
| querer | to want | No quiere salir. | She doesn’t want to go out. |
| saber | to know how to/be able to | ¿Sabes nadar? | Do you know how to swim? |
| soler | usually | Suele leer en el parque. | He usually reads in the park. |
| tener que | to have to/to be obligated to | Tengo que trabajar. | I have to work. |
It’s very common to see two verbs working together as in these examples. Begin to notice them in the conversations and stories within Rosetta Stone’s proven method of language learning, called Dynamic Immersion.
Express the near future tense with infinitive verbs
The near future tense expresses something that is going to happen, using the verb ir (to go) in Spanish. Use the simple pattern ir (conjugated) + a + (infinitive). This is similar to the “two verb” pattern explained above.
- Él va a correr. = He is going to run.
- ¿Va a llover mañana? = Is it going to rain tomorrow?
- Voy a jugar al tenis. = I’m going to play tennis.
Use infinitives for impersonal constructions
Many impersonal expressions using the Spanish verb ser are followed by infinitive verbs in Spanish. When you’re still learning Spanish, these are much easier to form than the Spanish subjunctive for giving advice, so use these structures like a cheat code.
- Es importante llegar al aeropuerto temprano. = It’s important to arrive early at the airport.
- Es necesario tener un pasaporte para viajar al extranjero. = It’s necessary to have a passport to travel overseas.
- No es una buena idea gastar todo tu dinero. = It’s not a good idea to spend all of your money.
- Es aconsejable descansar un poco. = It’s advisable to rest a little.
Place infinitives after prepositions
Many common Spanish expressions include a preposition. If a verb follows a Spanish preposition, use the infinitive.
On a trip, making plans, or asking for help, you’ll have great manners if you learn to say gracias por (thank you for), and knowing when to use para is a good step in leveling up your knowledge of por vs. para.
- Gracias por cerrar la puerta. = Thank you for closing the door.
- Bueno. La reserva está hecha. Gracias por llamar. = Ok, the reservation is made. Thank you for calling.
- Tomo el subterráneo para ir al trabajo. = I take the subway (in order) to go to work.
- Necesitamos encontrar un lugar para practicar fútbol. = We need to find a place to practice soccer/football.
- Ella quiere algo para comer. = She wants something to eat.
This chart has a lot of very common Spanish prepositions, but it’s by no means exhaustive.
| Spanish | English | Spanish Example | English Example |
| a | to | Vas a acostumbrarte a cenar más tarde. | You’ll get used to having dinner later. |
| al (a + el) | upon | Al llegar, firma el registro de entrada. | Upon arriving, sign the sign-in sheet. |
| antes de | before | Él bebe café antes de trabajar. | He drinks coffee before working. |
| con | with | Tiene que ver con pronunciar bien. | It has to do with pronouncing well. |
| de | (varies) | Trata de ir a la cama temprano. | Try to go to bed early. |
| después de | after | Ella lee después de almorzar. | She reads after eating lunch. |
| en | in | Estoy interesado en trabajar con esta empresa. | I’m interested in working with this company. |
| que | (connector – no translation) | Tengo mucho que hacer hoy. | I have a lot to do today. |
| sin | without | Tiró la basura sin pensar. | He threw the trash without thinking. |
Infinitives can form a command or prohibition
Though Spanish has a specific command form called el imperativo (the imperative), in some specific cases the infinitive is an easier and more common option.
Families and households might use these phrases for scheduled daily events. If you’re spending time with any young children, you’re likely to hear the parents call them for meals or bedtime.
- ¡A cenar! = Come eat!
- ¡A dormir! = Time for bed!
Recipes tend to favor the infinitive in written instructions. Explore all of the culinary delights and cultural treasures from the comfort of your own kitchen by knowing words for food in Spanish combined with common infinitive verbs, and your tastebuds will sing.
- Precalentar el horno. = Preheat the oven.
- Mezclar todos los ingredientes. = Mix all the ingredients.
Signs, billboards, and written notices about rules will often employ the infinitive. Next time you’re on public transportation, in a restroom, or at a historic site, notice the printed warnings and requests.
- No fumar = no smoking
- Prohibido nadar = swimming prohibited
- No pisar el césped = don’t walk on the grass
- Favor de apagar el celular = please turn off your cell phone
Key takeaways for infinitive verbs in Spanish
Spanish infinitives are key to comprehending and communicating in Spanish. Not all verbs need to be conjugated. Remember these important ideas about the infinitive in Spanish.
- Spanish infinitive verbs end in -AR, -ER, or -IR.
- The infinitive is the unchanged, non-personal form of the verb often found in the dictionary or vocabulary lists.
- Infinitives often follow conjugated verbs like quiero (I want) or deberías (you should).
- It’s required to use an infinitive after a preposition like por or para.
- You’ll see infinitives as commands and prohibitions on written notices in public places.
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