• The problem (el problema)
• Verbs followed by a gerund (verbos seguidos de gerundio)
• Verbs followed by an infinitive (verbos seguidos de infinitivo)
• Verbs that take both (verbos que aceptan los dos)
  • Stop
  • Remember
  • Try
  • Forget
• Preposition + gerund (preposición + gerundio)

The problem (el problema)

In English, some verbs are followed by a gerund (verb + -ing) and some by an infinitive (to + verb). This distinction does not exist in the same way in Spanish, where verbs are normally followed by an infinitive.

🔹 En inglés, algunos verbos van seguidos de un gerundio (verbo + -ing) y otros de un infinitivo (to + verbo). Esta distinción no existe de la misma manera en español, donde los verbos normalmente van seguidos de un infinitivo.

I enjoy swimming. (Disfruto nadando / Me gusta nadar). => gerund

I want to swim. (Quiero nadar). => infinitive

Verbs followed by a gerund (verbos seguidos de gerundio)

These verbs are followed by verb + -ing:

🔹 Estos verbos van seguidos de verbo + -ing:

enjoy [ɪn'dʒɔɪ] (disfrutar) => I enjoy reading.

finish ['fɪnɪʃ] (terminar) => She finished eating.

avoid [ə'vɔɪd] (evitar) => He avoids driving at night.

mind [maɪnd] (importar) => Do you mind waiting?

suggest [sə'dʒɛst] (sugerir) => I suggest going early.

keep [ki:p] (seguir) => Keep working!

practice ['præktɪs] (practicar) => I practice speaking English.

consider [kən'sɪdər] (considerar) => She is considering moving.

imagine [ɪ'mædʒɪn] (imaginar) => Imagine living in Paris!

miss [mɪs] (echar de menos) => I miss living in Spain.

deny [dɪ'naɪ] (negar) => He denied stealing the money.

quit [kwɪt] (dejar) => She quit smoking.

A useful trick: if you can replace the verb with it and the sentence makes sense with enjoy/avoid/finish + it, then you use the gerund. I enjoy it. => I enjoy swimming.

🔹 Un truco útil: si puedes reemplazar el verbo con it y la oración tiene sentido con enjoy/avoid/finish + it, entonces usas el gerundio. I enjoy it. => I enjoy swimming.

Verbs followed by an infinitive (verbos seguidos de infinitivo)

These verbs are followed by to + verb:

🔹 Estos verbos van seguidos de to + verbo:

want [wɑnt] (querer) => I want to go.

need [ni:d] (necesitar) => She needs to study.

decide [dɪ'saɪd] (decidir) => We decided to stay.

plan [plæn] (planificar) => I plan to travel next year.

hope [hoʊp] (esperar) => He hopes to find a job.

promise ['prɑmɪs] (prometer) => She promised to call.

agree [ə'gri:] (estar de acuerdo) => They agreed to help.

refuse [rɪ'fju:z] (rechazar) => He refused to answer.

learn [lɜrn] (aprender) => I'm learning to cook.

seem [si:m] (parecer) => She seems to be happy.

afford [ə'fɔrd] (permitirse) => I can't afford to buy a car.

manage ['mænɪdʒ] (conseguir) => He managed to finish on time.

pretend [prɪ'tɛnd] (fingir) => She pretended to sleep.

offer ['ɔfər] (ofrecer) => He offered to help.

Verbs that take both (verbos que aceptan los dos)

Some verbs can take either a gerund or an infinitive, but the meaning changes:

🔹 Algunos verbos pueden llevar gerundio o infinitivo, pero el significado cambia:

Stop

She stopped smoking. (Ella dejó de fumar). => She doesn't smoke anymore.

She stopped to smoke. (Ella se detuvo para fumar). => She paused in order to smoke.

Remember

I remember locking the door. (Recuerdo haber cerrado la puerta). => I locked it, and I remember it.

I remembered to lock the door. (Me acordé de cerrar la puerta). => I didn't forget to do it.

Try

Try eating less sugar. (Prueba a comer menos azúcar). => experiment, see if it works

I tried to open the door. (Intenté abrir la puerta). => I made an effort

Forget

I'll never forget visiting Rome. (Nunca olvidaré haber visitado Roma). => a memory

I forgot to visit the museum. (Se me olvidó visitar el museo). => I didn't do it

Preposition + gerund (preposición + gerundio)

After a preposition, we always use the gerund, never the infinitive:

🔹 Después de una preposición, siempre usamos el gerundio, nunca el infinitivo:

interested in [ɪn] => I'm interested in learning French.

good at [æt] => She's good at cooking.

tired of [əv] => I'm tired of waiting.

afraid of [əv] => He's afraid of flying.

instead of [ɪn'stɛd əv] => Instead of driving, I walk.

before / after => Before leaving, I checked my phone.

without [wɪð'aʊt] => She left without saying goodbye.