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Gerund vs infinitive

 

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  #1  
Old July 14, 2014, 09:04 PM
luis magistrado luis magistrado is offline
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Gerund vs infinitive

hello,

I would like to ask if there are instances when the gerund and infinitive may be used interchangeably?
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  #2  
Old July 14, 2014, 09:32 PM
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Not that I can think of now.

Do you have any specific idea of a situation where you think they could be?
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Old July 14, 2014, 09:38 PM
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Not in Spanish, no.
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Old July 27, 2014, 07:15 AM
luis magistrado luis magistrado is offline
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Yes, How about this sentences: 1. El acusado se retiró a su casa y Domingo continuó jugando. 2. El acusado se retiró a su casa y Domingo continuó a jugar. do this two sentences mean the same thing strictly?
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Old July 27, 2014, 08:13 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by luis magistrado View Post
Yes, how about these sentences?
1. El acusado se retiró a su casa y Domingo continuó jugando.
2. El acusado se retiró a su casa y Domingo continuó a jugar.
Do these two sentences mean the exact same thing strictly?
After continuar or seguir, the gerundio (I'm using the Spanish word here for a reason explained later) is commonly used. It is also possible to use the preposition 'a', followed by the infinitivo.
To the Spanish ear, 'jugando' is a gerundio playing the role of an adverb. The prepositional phrase 'a jugar' is playing the role of an adverb.

In English, the gerund plays the role of a NOUN. However, it may also play the role of an adjective or an adverb. This isn't possible in Spanish.

The Spanish equivalent of the English gerund, when it plays the role of a NOUN, is the infinitivo. The infinitivo, on its own, can never be used as an adjective or an adverb.

When the infinitivo is used in a prepositional phrase, however, the phrase can play the role of an adverb.

The English full infinitive ('to play') is the equivalent of the Spanish prepositional phrase 'a jugar'.


Last edited by Rusty; July 27, 2014 at 08:20 AM.
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Old July 27, 2014, 12:58 PM
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Hmmmm...

I have never heard "continuar", "seguir", "mantener" and similar verbs followed by "a + infinitive". These verbs express an ongoing situation, so they always call for the "gerundio". The infinitive looks like a calque from French or English.


- Ya estábamos borrachos pero seguimos bebiendo.
- Ya estábamos borrachos pero seguimos a beber.

- A pesar del cansancio se mantuvieron peleando.
- A pesar del cansancio se mantuvieron a pelear.

- Domingo continuó jugando.
- Domingo continuó a jugar.
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Old July 29, 2014, 01:08 AM
luis magistrado luis magistrado is offline
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So if the context implies that "Domingo stopped playing in the meantime but intended to continue to play, what should be the proper translation of " Domingo continued to play"? Would it still be "Domingo continuó jugando"? The verb "play" here does not express an ongoing action.
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  #8  
Old July 29, 2014, 09:03 AM
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Los verbos "seguir", "proseguir", "persistir", "permanecer" y "continuar" siempre van seguidos por el gerundio cuando expresan que una acción, determinada por el verbo procedente, se desarrolla nuevamente.

Así pues:

Domingo continued to play = Domingo continuó jugando
Domingo continued (another action) in order to play = Domingo continuó para jugar

Un saludo.
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Old July 31, 2014, 05:04 PM
luis magistrado luis magistrado is offline
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Thank you very much.
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