How many types of infinitives are there in spanish

1 answer

In Spanish, infinitives can be categorized into three main types based on their endings:

  1. Infinitives ending in -ar: These verbs follow a regular conjugation pattern. For example, "hablar" (to speak), "andar" (to walk), and "bailar" (to dance).

  2. Infinitives ending in -er: These verbs also follow a regular conjugation pattern. Examples include "comer" (to eat), "beber" (to drink), and "leer" (to read).

  3. Infinitives ending in -ir: Like the previous groups, these verbs have a regular conjugation pattern. Examples include "vivir" (to live), "salir" (to leave), and "escribir" (to write).

Additionally, infinitives can be grouped based on their usage in sentences, such as:

  • Simple infinitives: Regular infinitive forms like "hablar," "comer," and "vivir."
  • Compound infinitives: Infinitives that consist of an auxiliary verb and a past participle, such as "haber comido" (to have eaten).

So, while there are essentially three types based on their endings, infinitives also have different applications in sentences.