A2 · temario
2.20tema 20 de 23

Gerunds & Infinitives (Basics)

Cuándo usar verbo + -ing y cuándo usar to + verbo

En español, después de un verbo principal podemos poner otro verbo en infinitivo casi siempre: 'Quiero comer', 'Disfruto comer', 'Terminé de comer'. En inglés, la elección entre el gerundio (-ing) y el infinitivo (to + base) no es libre: depende del verbo principal que viene antes. Cada verbo 'pide' una forma específica.

Hay verbos que siempre van seguidos de gerundio (-ing): enjoy, finish, mind, avoid, suggest, consider, keep, practice, dislike, imagine. Cuando usas estos verbos en una oración, el siguiente verbo DEBE tener la terminación -ing. 'I enjoy to swim' es incorrecto; lo correcto es 'I enjoy swimming'.

Hay verbos que siempre van seguidos de infinitivo (to + verbo base): want, decide, hope, plan, promise, agree, refuse, need, expect, would like. 'She decided studying abroad' es incorrecto; lo correcto es 'She decided to study abroad'. No hay una regla lógica que explique por qué cada verbo pide una u otra forma: hay que memorizarlos.

Los verbos like, love, hate y prefer son especiales: en inglés americano admiten tanto -ing como 'to + base' sin diferencia de significado práctica. 'I like swimming' = 'I like to swim'. Sin embargo, cuando se usan con 'would' — 'would like', 'would love' — siempre van seguidos de to + base: 'I would like to go'.

structure.txt
Gerundio:    VERBO PRINCIPAL + VERBO-ing
             She enjoys  + reading  novels
Infinitivo:  VERBO PRINCIPAL + to + VERBO (base)
             He decided + to leave + early
Like/love/hate: admiten ambas formas
             I like swimming / I like to swim  (ambas correctas)
Would like/love: siempre to + base
             I would like to talk to you

Debugging lab

Corrige o completa la línea. 7 ejercicios por tema.

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  1. 2.20.6.1

    She enjoys to read mystery novels before bed.

  2. 2.20.6.2

    He decided studying abroad for a year.

  3. 2.20.6.3

    They finished to write the report at midnight.

  4. 2.20.6.4

    I would like going to the cinema this weekend.

  5. 2.20.6.5

    Do you mind to wait for a few minutes?

  6. 2.20.6.6

    She is very good at to speak in public.

  7. 2.20.6.7

    We hope seeing you at the party next Friday.

  8. 2.20.6.8

    She wants learning to play the piano.

  9. 2.20.6.9

    I enjoy to cook for my family.

  10. 2.20.6.10

    He decided reading the book before watching the movie.

  11. 2.20.6.11

    Would you like waiting a moment?