Gerunds and Infinitives

1. A gerund is a noun made from a verb by adding "-ing." The gerund form of the verb
"read" is "reading." You can use a gerund as the subject, the complement, or the object
of a sentence.
Examples:
Reading helps you learn English. SUBJECT OF SENTENCE
Her favorite hobby is reading. COMPLEMENT OF SENTENCE
I enjoy reading. OBJECT OF SENTENCE
Gerunds can be made negative by adding "not."
Examples:
He enjoys not working.
The best thing for your health is not smoking.
2. Infinitives are the "to" form of the verb. The infinitive form of "learn" is "to learn." You
can also use an infinitive as the subject, the complement, or the object of a sentence.
Examples:
To learn is important. SUBJECT OF SENTENCE
The most important thing is to learn. COMPLEMENT OF SENTENCE
He wants to learn. OBJECT OF SENTENCE
Infinitives can be made negative by adding "not."
Examples:
I decided not to go.
The most important thing is not to give up.
3. Both gerunds and infinitives can be used as the subject or the complement of a
sentence. However, as subjects or complements, gerunds usually sound more like
normal, spoken English, whereas infinitives sound more abstract. In the following
sentences, gerunds sound more natural and would be more common in everyday
English. Infinitives emphasize the possibility or potential for something and sound more
philosophical. If this sounds confusing, just remember that 90% of the time, you will use
a gerund as the subject or complement of a sentence.
Examples:
Learning is important. NORMAL SUBJECT
To learn is important. ABSTRACT SUBJECT - LESS COMMON
The most important thing is learning. NORMAL COMPLEMENT
The most important thing is to learn. ABSTRACT COMPLEMENT - LESS COMMON
4. As the object of a sentence, it is more difficult to choose between a gerund or an
infinitive. In such situations, gerunds and infinitives are not normally interchangeable.
Usually, the main verb in the sentence determines whether you use a gerund or an
infinitive.
Examples:

He enjoys swimming. "ENJOY" REQUIRES A GERUND.

He wants to swim. "WANT" REQUIRES AN INFINITIVE.
5. Some verbs are followed by gerunds as objects. List of Verbs Followed by Gerunds
Examples:
She suggested going to a movie.
Mary keeps talking about her problems.
6. Some verbs are followed by infinitives. List of Verbs Followed by Infinitives
Examples:
She wants to go to a movie.
Mary needs to talk about her problems.

Verb Lists: Infinitives and Gerunds

Verbs Followed by an
Infinitive
She agreed to speak
before the game.
agree
aim
appear
arrange
ask
attempt
be able
beg
begin
care
choose
condescend

consent
continue
dare
decide
deserve
detest
dislike
expect
fail
forget
get
happen

Verbs Followed by an Object and an Infinitive

Everyone expected her to win.
advise
choose
have
love
allow
command
hire
motivate
have
offer
shoot
askhesitate
dare
instruct
order
ought
start
beghope
direct
invite
pay
plan
stop
bring
encourage
lead
permit
hurry
prefer
strive
build
expect
leave
persuade
intend
prepare
swear
buyleap
forbid
let
prepare
proceed
threaten
challenge
force
like
promise
leave
promise
try
like
propose
use
longSome of these
refuse
wait
Note:
verbs are included
in the list above
love
remember
want
and may be used without an object.
mean
say
wish
neglect

GENERALIDADES
Usos

Ejemplos

Problemas / Notas

Pon el gerundio:
1. Despus de las She left without Los verbos ms frecuentes que
preposiciones.
kissing me.
solemos encontrar con el gerundio
Were thinking of son:
going to Italy.
like, love, hate, enjoy, miss, feel like,

remind
require
send
teach
tell
urge
want
warn

I enjoy
eating out.
2. Despus
de
youmind
algunos verbos.
giving me
address?

Do mind, finish, risk, practise, put off,

stop, suggest, cant help, fancy,
your admit, deny, give up, imagine, keep
(on), put off (postpone), spend time,
cant stand, delay, regret, avoid,
bad consider, involve, go on (=continue)

Smoking is
3. Como el sujeto
for you.Skiing is
de una frase.
expensive
Pon 'to' + Infinitivo:

1. Para dar una Why did you stop for

spend
respuesta a la working?
-To for
to
spend
pregunta
Why spend more time
(por que?)
with my children. Observa los ejemplos con el negativo
not
to:
2. Despus de los Its not easy to
adjetivos
find a good man. We hope not to be in the same flat
next
year.
She decided not to get married.
Los verbos ms frecuentes que
solemos encontrar
con 'to' +
I forgot
to infinitivo
son:
3. Despus
de phone the bank.
algunos verbos
She needs
to would like, want, need, decide, hope,
see you urgently. arrange, expect, plan, forget, seem,
appear, wish, promise, offer, refuse,
learn, manage, afford, agree, fail,
tend,
happen,
mean,
prepare,
pretend, threaten, attempt.

Gerund and Infinitive / Gerundio e infinitivo

To form the gerundio (-ing form in English), change the infinitive ending:
from -ar to -ando:
hablar hablando

from -er, -ir to -iendo:

comer comiendo ; vivir viviendo

-ir stem-changing verbs are affected (see Appendix

A): pedir : pidiendo dormir : durmiendo
-ir and -er verbs with stems ending in a vowel add -yendo:
traer : trayendo or : oyendo creer : creyendo ir : yendo
destruir : destruyendo

The gerund does not change to agree (in gender, number,etc.) with any
other word in a sentence.
A. THE GERUNDIO is used for actions in progress (present
participle in English):
A1. with the appropriate form of estar (or hay) to form the progressive
tenses:
Lisa est estudiando.
Estamos aprendiendo.
No hay nadie hablando.

Lisa is studying.
We are learning.
Theres no one talking.

Note that in Spanish this construction cannot be used to express the

future, as it frequently is in English (I am leaving next week). The
simple present can be used in this sense: Salgo la prxima
semana.
A2. with the verbs seguir and continuar to mean "go on doing
something":
Continu diciendo.
Sigui cantando.

He went on saying.
She continued to sing.

Note that, unlike English, Spanish does not offer the option of using
an infinitive after seguir or continuar:
He went on to say Sigui diciendo.
A3. to express "by doing" or "while doing" something (no preposition in
Spanish):
Vas a mejorar estudiando
mucho.
Me duermo leyendo esto.

You are going to improve by studying

a lot.
I fall asleep (while) reading this.

Spanish does not use the gerundio as an adjective. Clauses or

different expressions have to be used:

the answering machine

a never-ending process
passengers carrying a big
case...
an intriguing beginning
a disappointing ending

la mquina contestadora (el

contestador)
un proceso que nunca termina
(interminable)
los pasajeros que llevan una maleta
grande...
un comienzo intrigante
un final decepcionante

THE INFINITIVE is the verb form that Spanish uses as a noun:

B1. as the subject of a sentence or the object of a verb*:

Ver es creer.
No me gusta estudiar.
Decidir casi siempre es difcil.
B2. immediately after any preposition:
Voy a salir despus de comer.
Es su manera de hablar.
Habla sin usar las manos.

Seeing is believing.
I don't like studying.
Deciding is difficult most of the time.
I am going to leave after eating.
It's his/her way of speaking.
He speaks without using his hands.

Note that, unlike English, Spanish does not use the gerundio after
prepositions or as the subject of a sentence. The infinitive must be
used in such cases:
the problem of leaving el problema de salirliving is good vivir
es bueno

USING THE GERUNDIO AND THE INFINITIVE

A. EL GERUNDIO se usa para
B. EL INFINITIVO se usa
acciones en progreso:
como sustantivo:
A1. En tiempos progresivos
B1. como sujeto u objeto de
(con estar, hay, etc.).
otro verbo.
Lisa est estudiando. Lisa is
Ver es creer. Seeing is
studying.
believing.
A2. Conseguir / continuar ("go
B2. inmediatamente despus
on ...ing").
de preposicin.
Sigui cantando. She continued to Voy a salir
sing.
despus de comer.
A3. Para expresar "by
I am going to leave after
...ing" o "while ..ing".
eating.
Mejoro practicando. I improve by
practicing.