Kilo Lingo
Spanish grammar Part of Chapter 33

CEFR A2-B1

3 min read

Test yourself (20 questions)

The Spanish Infinitive as a Noun: al llegar, antes de salir

By Michael McGettrick and Sergio Linares-HernandesUpdated 12 October 2026

Where English uses an -ing form as a noun, Spanish uses the infinitive:

Quick check

Three quick questions on what you have just read. The full practice is further down.

Spot the mistake

0/3

Each sentence has one wrong verb form. Tap it.

  • . - Smoking is bad.
  • , . - Before leaving, shut the door.

Infinitive or -ing? At a glance

infinitive (the action as a noun)gerund (an action in progress)What do the colours mean?

English -ing does many jobs. Here are four: Spanish gives the first three to the infinitive and only the last to the gerund.

JobSpanishEnglish
a subject .Smoking is bad.
after .I like swimming.
after a preposition before leaving
in progress .I'm eating.

If the -ing works like a noun, it is the infinitive. The gerund is for what is happening, as in the present progressive.

The infinitive as a subject

infinitive (the action as a noun)gerund (an action in progress)What do the colours mean?

An infinitive can be the subject of a sentence, exactly where English puts an -ing noun:

SubjectSpanishEnglish
smoking .Smoking is bad.
travelling .Travelling broadens the mind.
learning .Learning languages is useful.
cooking .Cooking relaxes me.

The verb after it is singular, because an infinitive counts as one masculine singular noun. You can put in front, which sounds a touch more formal:

  • . - Eating well is important.
  • . - Eating well is important.

The article is , never . (A few infinitives have become ordinary nouns with a plural: , duty, , homework.)

Me gusta nadar: after gustar

infinitive (the action as a noun)gerund (an action in progress)What do the colours mean?

After gustar and verbs like it, the activity you like is the subject of the verb, so it is an infinitive too:

VerbSpanishEnglish
.I like swimming.
.We love travelling.
.Waiting annoys him/her.
two of them .I like singing and dancing.

In standard Spanish stays singular even with two infinitives: , not " ". Only plural nouns make it plural: . (I like dogs.)

After a preposition: antes de salir

infinitive (the action as a noun)gerund (an action in progress)What do the colours mean?

After every preposition, Spanish uses the infinitive where English uses -ing:

PrepositionSpanishEnglish
before leaving
after eating
sin without thinking
(in order) to pass
instead of working
as well as being handsome
for arriving late

In full sentences:

  • . - He/She left without saying anything.
  • , . - After having dinner, we went to the cinema.
  • . - Thanks for coming.

and sin are never right. (Old-fashioned + gerund, , survives in a few regions and in old books; you will not need it.) Verbs that take a preposition follow the same rule: (I insist on knowing), (to stop smoking). See verbs with prepositions.

Al llegar: on arriving

infinitive (the action as a noun)gerund (an action in progress)What do the colours mean?

(a + ) plus an infinitive means "on doing" or "when": one action at the moment of another. It has no tense of its own and takes its time from the main verb:

TimeSpanishEnglish
present , .When I leave, I shut the door.
past , .When I left, I shut the door.
future , .When I leave, I'll shut the door.
  • , . - On arriving home, I took my shoes off.
  • , . - On hearing the news, he/she burst into tears.

It is shorter than a full clause: says what says, and both are natural.

Mistakes English speakers make

infinitive (the action as a noun)gerund (an action in progress)What do the colours mean?
WrongRightWhy
a subject is the infinitive
me takes the infinitive
a preposition takes the infinitive
me an infinitive takes a singular verb
the article is

What to do next

  1. Finish three sentences: ..., ..., a ...
  2. Do the story and spot-the- drills below.
  3. Then the gerund: , .

Practise: test yourself

Complete the story

0/5

Choose the infinitive or the gerund for each gap.

My Sunday

Me encanta los domingos. Antes de , desayuno con calma. Después de , salgo a correr. Al a casa, me quito los zapatos. Ahora estoy un libro.

Gap 1 of 5

Spot the mistake

0/4

Each sentence has one wrong verb form. Tap it.

Pick the right one

0/5

Choose the right form.

  1. idiomas abre puertas.

  2. Lo hizo sin .

  3. Al la noticia, se puso a llorar.

  4. Insisto en la verdad.

  5. Ahora mismo estoy . (I'm eating right now)

Put the words in order

0/2

Put the words in order.

  1. He/She left without saying anything.

    Your sentence is empty.

  2. I like singing and dancing.

    Your sentence is empty.

Fill in the blank

0/4

Fill the gap with the infinitive of the verb in brackets.

  1. Antes de , apaga la luz. (salir) (before leaving)

  2. Estudio mucho para el examen. (aprobar) (in order to pass)

  3. En vez de , deberías descansar. (trabajar) (instead of working)

  4. Después de , fuimos al cine. (cenar) (after having dinner)

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Frequently asked questions

Why does Spanish use the infinitive where English uses the -ing form?
Because the infinitive is the Spanish verbal noun. When an action works as a noun, as a subject or after a preposition, Spanish uses the infinitive: (smoking is bad), (before leaving). The gerund (, ) is for an action in progress: , I'm smoking.
What does + infinitive mean in Spanish?
On or upon doing something, or when it happens: a , (when I got home, I took my shoes off). has no tense of its own: can be when I leave, when I left or when I'll leave, depending on the main verb.
Can you put in front of an infinitive in Spanish?
Yes. and both mean eating well is important; sounds a touch more formal. The article is , never , because an infinitive used as a noun is masculine singular.
Is it or ?
. After , and similar verbs, the activity is an infinitive: (I love dancing). With two infinitives the verb stays singular: .
What is the difference between the infinitive and the gerund in Spanish?
The infinitive (, ) names the action and works like a noun: , . The gerund (, ) describes an action in progress or how something is done: (I'm eating), (he/she ran out). Where English -ing is a noun, Spanish needs the infinitive.