Learning Spanish - Infinitive Verb
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Definition
Base form of verbs are the ones we learn about in school: eat, want, talk.
The infinitive forms of these verbs prepend “to” in front: to eat, to want, to talk. Infinitives are a type of verbal, which are verbs used as an adjective, noun, or adverb. The other verbals are gerunds (am talking) and participles (talking dog).
Usage
Infinitives can be used as a noun, adjective, or adverb.
Infinitives can be the object: “[I] [want] [to be] [an astronaut]”. The subject is I, the verb is want, and the object is the infinitive to be. The adjective is an astronaut.
Infinitive are used after adjectives to clarify meaning: “[Shane] [is] [too full] [to have] [another burger]”. The subject is Shane, the verb is is, and the object is another burger. The adjective is too full and the infinitive is to have.
Why Is This Relevant
Verbs in Spanish have different conjugations, depending on the pronoun. They generally follow consistent rules. It seems that people use the infinitive as the “base form” for discussion. From there, you pick the correct conjugation for your sentence.