Spanish grammar: formas no personales del verbo en estructuras subordinadas

What this grammar point covers

In Spanish, 'formas no personales del verbo' are verb forms that do not change according to the subject or tense. In subordinate clauses, these forms (infinitive, gerund, participle) allow you to connect ideas without using a full conjugated verb.

When to use it

These forms are used in Spanish to express actions related to the main verb, such as expressing purpose, cause, condition, or time. They often appear after prepositions or in phrases where the subject is the same as the main clause.

Key forms

• Infinitivo: hablar, comer, vivir
• Gerundio: hablando, comiendo, viviendo
• Participio: hablado, comido, vivido

Examples

Tips

• Use the infinitive after prepositions (like 'de', 'por', 'para').
• The gerund is never used to express future actions.
• The participle is often used with 'haber' to form perfect tenses or as an adjective.

Exceptions and edge cases

• Some verbs have irregular participles (e.g., 'escribir' → 'escrito', 'abrir' → 'abierto').