Gerunds and Infinitive
El gerundio y el infinitivo son formas de los verbos que actúan como nombres.
El gerundio es la forma de un verbo no conjugado, utilizado para hacer las mismas funciones
que un nombre. Termina en “-ing”. Por ejemplo, “Reading is fun”. En esta frase “Reading” es
un gerundio, pero actúa como nombre.
El infinitivo es la forma de un verbo que aparece tanto en su forma más básica (sin marcas) o
con la palabra “to”. Por ejemplo, “I like to read books” donde “to read” es un infinitive.
1. Cuando un verbo sigue a otro verbo, siempre necesitamos usar el infinitivo o el gerundio.
Normalmente usamos el infinitivo después de algunos verbos y el gerundio después de
otros. También hay verbos con los que podemos usar el gerundio o el infinitivo.
Verbo Gerundio Infinitivo Verbo Gerundio Infinitivo Verbo Gerundio Infinitivo
Afford X Hope x Quit X
Agree X Imagine X Recommend x
Attempt X Intend X Refuse X
Begin X x Keep X Regret X
Choose X Learn X Seem X
Continue x X Like/love X x Start X x
Decide X wish x X Suggest X
Detest X Manage X Tend X
Enjoy X Need X Threaten x
Expect X Offer X Tolerate X
Fail X Plan X Try x X
Finish X Prefer x X Understand X
Hate x x Promise X Want x
• I can’t afford to buy a new car.(No puedo permitirme comprar un coche nuevo.)
• He began to doubt himself. / He began doubting himself.(Comenzó a dudar de sí
mismo.)
• They decided to move to Australia in May.(Decidieron mudarse a Australia en
Mayo.)
• I enjoy listening to music.(Disfruto escuchando música.)
• She hates studying. / She hates to study.(Odia estudiar.)
• You love dancing. / You love to dance.(Te encanta bailar.)
• He needed to leave class early because he had an appointment.(Tenía que salir de
la clase pronto porque tenía una cita.)
• She can’t tolerate complaining.(No puede tolerar quejas.)
• I tried learning English. / I tried to learn English.(He intentado aprender inglés.)
• My mother could retire, but she keeps working.(Mi madre podría jubilarse, pero
sigue trabajando.)
2. Podemos usar el gerundio o el infinitivo como objeto, sujeto o complemento de una frase,
pero en general, es mucho más común usar el gerundio como sujeto. Ejemplos:
Objeto:
I like eating. / I like to eat.(Me gusta comer)
My friend continued working. / My friend continued to work.(Mi amigo continuó trabajando.)
Sujeto:
Jogging is good exercise.(Trotar es un buen ejercicio)
Laughing and crying at the same time is weird (Reir y llorar al mismo tiempo es raro.)
Complemento:
The best thing to do when you are sick is to drink a lot of water.(Lo mejor que puedes hacer
cuando estás enfermo es beber mucha agua.)
My favorite hobby is listening music.(Mi pasatiempo favorito es escuchar música.)
3. Con algunos verbos, cuando usamos el gerundio y el infinitivo, el significado cambia. Ejemplo: forget, mean, remember, stop, go
on, try, regret
- Forget
He’ll never forget spending so much money on his first computer. (mira al pasado)
Don’t forget to spend money on your children’s education. (mira hacia futuro)
- Remember
I remember switching off the lights when I went on holiday. (mira al pasado)
Remember to switch off the lights when you go on holiday. (mira hacia el futuro)
- Stop
I stopped smoking. (to stop with an activity)
I stopped to smoke. (to stop in order to do something)
- Go on
Go on reading the text. (to continue to do the same thing)
Go on to read the text. (to change the activity)
- Try
I tried taking an aspirin, but it didn’t help. (to test something)
Try to be quiet when you come home late. (to do something that isn’t easy)
- Mean
You have forgotten your homework again. That means phoning your mother. (something has to be done as a result)
I meant to phone your mother, but my mobile didn’t work. (intend to do something)
- Regret
I regret being late for school. (you did something in the past and you are not happy about it)
We regret to inform you that the flight has been delayed for another two hours. (to tell bad news and you are not happy about it)
4. Se usa el infinitivo después de adjetivos: disappointed, glad, happy,
pleased, relieved, sad, surprised
Mercedes is happy to see me.(Mercedes está feliz de verme.)
He was disappointed to find a dirty house.(El estuvo descepcionado de
encontrar una casa sucia.)
5. Se usa el gerundio después de una preposición: about, against, at, after,
before, by, on, in, without, etc
He is good at listening.(El es bueno escuchando)
We never cook after going to the gym.(Nosotros nunca cocinamos después
de ir al gimnasio.)
They can’t run without training previously.(Ellos no pueden correr sin
entrenar previamente.)
6. Se usa el gerundio después de unos nombres: advantage/disadvantage of (la
ventaja de, la desventaja de), danger of (el peligro de), experience in (experiencia en),
interested in (interesado en), opportunity of (oportunidad de), reason for (la razón
de), problem with (el problema con)…
What is the advantage of waiting?(¿Cuál es la ventaja de esperar?)
I am interested in taking English classes.(Estoy interesado en tomar clases de inglés.)
His problem finding a new job was his lack of experience.(Su problema para encontrar
un nuevo empleo era su falta de experiencia.)
7. Se usa el gerundio después de unas expresiones o verbos frasales.: to look forward
to (tener ganas de), to be worth (valer), can’t help (no poder evitar), don’t mind (no
importarse), feel like (no apetecerse)…
We’re really looking forward to seeing you.(Tenemos muchas ganas de verte.)
That movie is not worth seeing.(No vale la pena ver esa película.)
I can’t help falling in love.(No puedo evitar enamorarme.)
Resumen: Se utiliza gerundio cuando
1.Después de una preposición (incluye los verbos que son seguidos por una preposición):
Believe in / Feel like / Plan on/ Talk about / Think about / Worry about
Ejemplo: A cure for malaria may stop millions from dying.
2.Algunos verbos solo pueden ser utilizados con gerundios
Avoid / Consider / Enjoy/ Finish / Quit / Miss etc.
3.Cuando se trata del sujeto, complemento u objeto de la frase
Ejemplo sujeto: Reading helps you improve your vocabulary.
Ejemplo complemento: Her favourite hobby is reading.
Ejemplo objeto: I enjoy reading.
Los gerundios se vuelven negativos cuando añades “not”. Por ejemplo: The best thing for
your health is not drinking.
Resumen: Se utiliza infinitivo cuando
1. Para explicar un propósito
Ejemplo: The company will manufacture the product in China to ensure that the price is as
low as possible.
2. Después de adjetivos
Ejemplo: It’s cheap to make, it’s easy to use.
3.Después de algunos verbos
Agree / Choose / Decide / Want
Ejemplo: He wanted to play football.
4. Cuando hay un cambio de significado
I forgot writing that email.(Me olvidé que escribí ese correo electrónico.)
I forgot to write that email.(Me olvidé de escribir el correo electrónico.)
Conversation1
• Kim: I miss talking with my best friend. I remember going with him
everywhere!
• Ron: Why did you stop talking?
• Kim: We celebrated turning 30 at the same time, but then he got a
new job and moved to a new city.
• Ron: I remember hearing that. Have you talked to him recently?
• Kim: Yes, but I regret not calling him more often.
• Ron: I imagine being far apart is difficult.
• Kim: It is. I enjoy spending time with him!
Conversation 2
• Ben: Do you want to go to the movies?
• Heather: No, I need to buy a new swimsuit at the store.
• Ben: Oh, I forgot to tell you - I bought you a new swimsuit already!
• Heather: You did?? You promised to save money for our trip!
• Ben: I offered to pay for it before but you said no, so I bought it when I
went shopping alone!
• Heather: That's nice of you, but I refuse to accept it.
• Ben: I hope to get my money back from the store when I return this.
• Heather: I don't mean to make you upset, but you need to save money!
Ejercicios
• I hope ……………….(go) to England next year
• They enjoy ………………(work) together.
• David quit …………………..(smoke) a year ago.
• Do you want …………………(study) with me tonight?
• We were anxious …………………..(take) the exam.
• He always takes a nap after ……………….(eat) a big meal.
• I have no experience in …………………(work) with children.
• We're looking forward to ………………(meet) you!
• Carla doesn't feel like ……………. (cook) tonight, so we are going to a
restaurant
• Sue was relieved …………… (learn) that she didn't have cancer.
Ejercicios
1. We finally finished _____ the house last week.
a)painting b) to paint
2. John is a vegetarian. He stopped _____ meat 2 years ago.
a)eating b)to eat
3. I forgot _____ the summary for my teacher. I have to do it tonight.
a)writing b) to write
4. Do you want _____ to the beach with us?
a)coming b)to come
5._____ just one day a week is beneficial to your health.
a) Exercising b)To exercise
6. What is the advantage of _____ early?
a)leaving b)to leave
7. We agreed _____ them at the train station.
a)meeting b)to meet
8. She has decided _____ art at university.
a) studying b) to study
