Verbal Periphrases

Verbal periphrases (perífrasis verbales) are multi-word verb constructions where an auxiliary verb combines with an infinitive, gerund, or participle to express nuances of time, aspect, or modality that single verbs can't convey.

Core Pattern: Conjugated auxiliary + connector (optional) + infinitive/gerund/participle

Periphrases with Infinitive

Ir a + Infinitive (Going to - Near Future)

Expresses immediate future or intention.

Voy a estudiar esta noche. (I'm going to study tonight.)

Va a llover. (It's going to rain.)

¿Qué vas a hacer? (What are you going to do?)

Usage: More common in speech than the simple future tense for near-future actions.

Acabar de + Infinitive (To Have Just)

Expresses recent completion of an action.

Acabo de llegar. (I just arrived. / I've just arrived.)

Acabamos de comer. (We just ate.)

Acaba de salir. (He just left.)

Time Frame: Implies very recent past (within minutes or hours, not days).

Volver a + Infinitive (To Do Again)

Expresses repetition or return to an action.

Volvió a llamar. (He called again.)

No vuelvas a hacerlo. (Don't do it again.)

Volveré a intentarlo. (I'll try again.)

Soler + Infinitive (Usually Do / To Be Accustomed to)

Expresses habitual actions or custom.

Suelo levantarme a las siete. (I usually get up at seven.)

Solíamos ir al cine los viernes. (We used to go to the movies on Fridays.)

No suele llegar tarde. (He doesn't usually arrive late.)

Note: Soler is only used in present and imperfect tenses, not other tenses.

Deber + Infinitive (Should / Ought to - Obligation)

Expresses moral obligation or advice.

Debes estudiar más. (You should study more.)

Debemos respetar las reglas. (We should respect the rules.)

No deberías mentir. (You shouldn't lie.)

Deber de + Infinitive (Must - Supposition)

Expresses supposition or probability.

Debe de ser tarde. (It must be late.) [assumption]

Deben de estar cansados. (They must be tired.) [supposition]

Tener que + Infinitive (Have to - Necessity)

Expresses strong obligation or necessity.

Tengo que trabajar mañana. (I have to work tomorrow.)

Tienes que ver un médico. (You have to see a doctor.)

Tenemos que salir ahora. (We have to leave now.)

Haber que + Infinitive (One Must - Impersonal)

Expresses impersonal obligation.

Hay que estudiar para aprobar. (One must study to pass.)

Hay que tener paciencia. (One must have patience.)

Habrá que esperar. (One will have to wait.)

Poder + Infinitive (Can / May)

Expresses possibility or permission.

Puedo ayudarte. (I can help you.)

¿Puedo entrar? (May I come in?)

No podemos ir. (We can't go.)

Querer + Infinitive (Want to)

Expresses desire or intention.

Quiero aprender español. (I want to learn Spanish.)

¿Quieres venir? (Do you want to come?)

Empezar a / Comenzar a + Infinitive (To Begin to)

Expresses beginning of an action.

Empezó a llover. (It started to rain.)

Comenzamos a trabajar a las nueve. (We start working at nine.)

Dejar de + Infinitive (To Stop Doing)

Expresses cessation of an action.

Dejó de fumar. (He stopped smoking.)

No dejes de llamar. (Don't stop calling. / Don't fail to call.)

Ha dejado de llover. (It has stopped raining.)

Ponerse a + Infinitive (To Start Doing - Sudden)

Expresses sudden beginning of an action (often unexpected).

Se puso a llorar. (He started to cry.) [suddenly]

Me puse a estudiar. (I started studying.) [got down to it]

Echarse a + Infinitive (To Burst Into)

Expresses sudden onset (especially emotions).

Se echó a reír. (He burst out laughing.)

Se echaron a correr. (They broke into a run.)

Venir a + Infinitive (To Come to / End Up)

Expresses approximation or result.

Viene a costar unos 50 euros. (It comes to about 50 euros.)

Eso viene a ser lo mismo. (That amounts to the same thing.)

Llegar a + Infinitive (To Manage to / Come to)

Expresses achievement or culmination.

Llegué a entender el problema. (I came to understand the problem.)

Nunca llegó a terminar. (He never managed to finish.)

Si llegas a saberlo... (If you had known...)

Periphrases with Gerund

Estar + Gerund (Progressive - Be Doing)

Expresses ongoing action at a specific time.

Estoy estudiando. (I'm studying.)

¿Qué estás haciendo? (What are you doing?)

Estaban comiendo cuando llegué. (They were eating when I arrived.)

Seguir / Continuar + Gerund (To Keep Doing)

Expresses continuation of an action.

Sigo estudiando español. (I keep studying Spanish. / I'm still studying Spanish.)

Continúa lloviendo. (It continues raining. / It's still raining.)

Llevar + Time + Gerund (To Have Been Doing for)

Expresses duration of an ongoing action.

Llevo tres años estudiando español. (I've been studying Spanish for three years.)

Llevamos dos horas esperando. (We've been waiting for two hours.)

¿Cuánto tiempo llevas viviendo aquí? (How long have you been living here?)

Ir + Gerund (Gradual Action)

Expresses gradual or progressive action.

Voy aprendiendo. (I'm gradually learning.)

Iban caminando hacia el parque. (They were walking toward the park.)

Andar + Gerund (To Go Around Doing)

Expresses repeated or aimless action.

Anda diciendo mentiras. (He goes around telling lies.)

Andamos buscando un apartamento. (We're going around looking for an apartment.)

Venir + Gerund (Action from Past to Present)

Expresses action that has been happening for some time.

Vengo diciéndotelo desde hace meses. (I've been telling you for months.)

Vienen trabajando juntos años. (They've been working together for years.)

Periphrases with Participle

Haber + Participle (Perfect Tenses)

Forms compound past tenses.

He comido. (I have eaten.)

Habían salido. (They had left.)

Habremos terminado. (We will have finished.)

Tener + Participle (Result of Action)

Emphasizes completed state or accumulated result.

Tengo escritas tres páginas. (I have three pages written.)

Tiene leídos muchos libros. (He has read many books.) [emphasis on number]

Note: Participle agrees with the object: páginas (feminine plural) → escritas

Llevar + Participle (Accumulated Completion)

Similar to tener + participle:

Llevo escritas cinco cartas. (I have five letters written.)

Llevamos visitados tres museos. (We've visited three museums.) [so far]

Dejar + Participle (To Leave in a State)

Expresses leaving something in a particular state:

Dejé preparada la cena. (I left dinner prepared.)

Lo dejó dicho. (He left it said. / He already mentioned it.)

Common Combinations

Practice