Trabajar y Trabajo

[ez123]

Im stuck on substantivos and would like to grasp it a bit more. If you have a infinitive verb and you want to say the noun of the infinitive verb what are the general rules for doing so? for example Trabajar "to work" and Trabajo "work" which is also the "yo" conjugation of the word? this has messed me up alot, thank you much!

[Rusty]

Some nouns are similar to the verb, but this is not always the case. Therefore, there are no general rules for turning an infinitive into a noun.

Generally, a noun must be learned in and of itself. Learn the gender at the same time.
Generally, a verb must be learned in and of itself. Learn the conjugation patterns that apply.

Below, I've written a few English nouns, an equivalent noun in Spanish, and the infinitive that corresponds, just so you can see that there is no pattern.

speech, habla, hablar (to speak)
writing, escritura, escribir (to write)
growth, crecimiento, crecer (to grow)
knowledge, conocimiento, conocer (to know)
sight/view, vista, ver (to see)
(sense of) taste, gusto, gustar (to taste)
(sense of) touch, tacto, tocar (to touch)
thought, pensamiento, pensar (to think)
being, ser, ser (to be)
act, hecho, hacer (to do)
lie, mentira, mentir (to lie)
walkway, camino, caminar (to walk)
cooking, cocina, cocinar (to cook)
rake, rastrillo, rastrar (to rake)
roast, asado, asar (to roast)
seat, asiento, sentarse (to sit down)
cough, tos, toser (to cough)
food, comida/comestibles, comer (to eat)