In Spanish, when a verb follows a preposition, it must always be in its infinitive form. Unlike English, where the gerund (-ing form) is often used after prepositions, Spanish strictly requires the infinitive. Understanding this grammatical rule is essential for forming correct sentences and sounding natural in Spanish.

This blog post will cover the different situations in which the infinitive is used after prepositions, common expressions with their meanings and examples, and essential points to keep in mind while using them.

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Situations Where the Infinitive is Used After Prepositions

1. Purpose or Goal (para + infinitive)
   • Used to indicate the purpose or objective of an action.
   • Example: Estudio para aprender. (I study to learn.)
2. Means or Manner (con + infinitive)
   • Expresses the way in which something is done.
   • Example: Mejorarás con practicar. (You will improve by practicing.)
3. Cause or Reason (por + infinitive)
   • Indicates the reason for an action.
   • Example: Me castigaron por llegar tarde. (They punished me for arriving late.)
4. Condition (de + infinitive)
   • Expresses conditions in certain phrases.
   • Example: De saberlo, te lo habría dicho. (Had I known, I would have told you.)
5. After Prepositions of Time (antes de/después de + infinitive)
   • Used when referring to actions occurring before or after another action.
   • Example: Voy a ducharme después de correr. (I am going to shower after running.)
6. Prepositions Indicating a Point of Reference (sin, hasta, en, etc.)
   • Used in fixed expressions and idiomatic phrases.
   • Example: No puedes salir sin avisar. (You can’t leave without letting us know.)

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Common Expressions with Infinitives After Prepositions

Expression	Meaning	Example 1	Example 2
Para estudiar	To study	Voy a la biblioteca para estudiar.	Uso aplicaciones para estudiar español.
Por llegar tarde	For arriving late	Me regañaron por llegar tarde.	Perdí el tren por salir tarde.
Con practicar	By practicing	Mejoras con practicar cada día.	Con practicar, hablas mejor.
Antes de dormir	Before sleeping	Leo antes de dormir.	Me lavo la cara antes de dormir.
Después de comer	After eating	Me cepillo los dientes después de comer.	Llamó después de almorzar.
Sin avisar	Without warning	No puedes irte sin avisar.	Entró sin avisar.
Hasta terminar	Until finishing	No salgo hasta terminar la tarea.	No puedo descansar hasta terminar.
De saberlo	Had I known	De saberlo, no lo habría hecho.	De saberlo antes, te habría avisado.
En aprender	In learning	Invierto tiempo en aprender español.	Me esfuerzo en aprender bien.
A pesar de fallar	Despite failing	Sigo intentándolo a pesar de fallar.	Aprobó a pesar de fallar el primer intento.

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More Example Sentences

1. Fui al mercado para comprar frutas.
2. No puedes entrar sin pagar la entrada.
3. Me llamó después de haber terminado el trabajo.
4. Logró su meta con dedicarse al estudio.
5. Antes de salir, revisa tu mochila.
6. Me fui temprano por evitar el tráfico.
7. No puedes dormir sin apagar la luz.
8. No podré jugar hasta mejorar mi salud.
9. De haber sabido la verdad, habría reaccionado diferente.
10. A pesar de tener miedo, enfrentó la situación.

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Fill in the Blanks

1. Voy al gimnasio ________ estar en forma. (para)
2. Me castigaron ________ decir una mentira. (por)
3. No puedes viajar ________ tu pasaporte. (sin)
4. Voy a descansar ________ trabajar todo el día. (después de)
5. No saldré ________ terminar el proyecto. (hasta)
6. Aprendí español ________ estudiar mucho. (con)
7. De ________ que vendrías, habría preparado algo especial. (saber)
8. Siempre leo un libro ________ dormir. (antes de)
9. Se esforzó mucho ________ ganar el premio. (para)
10. Consiguió su objetivo ________ muchos intentos fallidos. (a pesar de)

Answers

1. para
2. por
3. sin
4. después de
5. hasta
6. con
7. saber
8. antes de
9. para
10. a pesar de

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Things to Keep in Mind

• The verb after the preposition always remains in its infinitive form.
• Prepositions like para, por, sin, antes de, and después de commonly appear before infinitives.
• In cases where an article (el, la, los, las) is used, ensure agreement in gender and number.
• Some phrases change meaning slightly depending on the preposition used (e.g., por estudiar vs. para estudiar).

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Conclusion

Using the infinitive after prepositions is a fundamental rule in Spanish. Unlike English, which often uses gerunds, Spanish requires the verb to stay in its base form. Mastering this concept will improve fluency and accuracy in constructing sentences. Practice with the expressions provided, and soon, this rule will become second nature in your Spanish conversations!

If you enjoyed this lesson, be sure to check out more posts like this on my blog at My Language Classes. Don’t forget to subscribe my YouTube channel and follow me on Instagram for the latest language learning tips and lessons. Leave a comment below to share your thoughts, or ask any questions you have.

Happy learning! 😊

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