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Perífrasis verbal

Verbal periphrasis

Written by qualified Spanish expert Inma Sánchez BA
Last updated: 2024-09-23

The "perífrasis verbal" in Spanish is a verbal structure formed by:

A conjugated auxiliary verb + an infinitive/a present participle/a past participle

Sometimes these structures have a preposition, a conjunction or a group of words working as connectives after the auxiliary verb and they form part of the whole structure so they cannot be omitted because it either won't make sense or it will change the meaning.

Lessons with more detail on Perífrasis verbal

Using Spanish verbs seguir/continuar + present participle = to keep on [doing something]
Using dejar de + [infinitive] = to stop doing something/to give up something
Acabar de + [infinitive] = to have just done / just did something in Spanish (perífrasis verbal)
Using Estar a punto de + [infinitive] = to be about to do something in Spanish (perífrasis verbal)
Using acabar/terminar + [infinitive/present participle] = to end up doing something in Spanish (perífrasis verbal)
Using volver a + [infinitive] to express repetition of an action in Spanish (perífrasis verbal)
Using ir + present participle to emphasise the progression of an action (perífrasis verbal)
Using poner/poner(se) + a + infinitive = to start to carry out an action (perífrasis verbal)
Quedarse + [gerund] = to do something continuously in Spanish (perífrasis verbal)
Empezar/comenzar a = to begin/start doing something (perífrasis verbal)
Using tener + past participle to express the completion of an action (perífrasis verbal)
Haber de + infinitive to express formal obligation or future action (perífrasis verbal)
Using llevar + present participle to express duration of an action in Spanish (perífrasis verbal)
Using andar + present participle to express "going around" [doing something] (perífrasis verbal)
Using llevar + past participle to express the completion of an action so far (perífrasis verbal)
Using terminar de+ [infinitive] = to finish doing something in Spanish (perífrasis verbal)
Tocar + infinitive for "it is time for someone to do something" (perífrasis verbal)
Darle a alguien por [hacer] algo = to take up something/to feel like doing something (perífrasis verbal)
Using Spanish verb venir a + infinitive to indicate approximation/end of a process (perífrasis verbal)
Using Estar por + infinitive to express feeling tempted/having the intention to do something (perífrasis verbal)
Using Spanish verb venir + present participle (perífrasis verbal)
Using Spanish verb verse + past participle (perífrasis verbal)
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