Gerund vs infinitive
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luis magistrado
July 14, 2014, 09:04 PM
hello,
I would like to ask if there are instances when the gerund and infinitive may be used interchangeably?
AngelicaDeAlquezar
July 14, 2014, 09:32 PM
Not that I can think of now.
Do you have any specific idea of a situation where you think they could be? :thinking:
wrholt
July 14, 2014, 09:38 PM
Not in Spanish, no.
luis magistrado
July 27, 2014, 07:15 AM
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?
Rusty
July 27, 2014, 08:13 AM
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'.
:)
AngelicaDeAlquezar
July 27, 2014, 12:58 PM
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. :thinking:
- Ya estábamos borrachos pero seguimos bebiendo. :good:
- Ya estábamos borrachos pero seguimos a beber. :bad:
- A pesar del cansancio se mantuvieron peleando. :good:
- A pesar del cansancio se mantuvieron a pelear. :bad:
- Domingo continuó jugando. :good:
- Domingo continuó a jugar. :bad:
luis magistrado
July 29, 2014, 01:08 AM
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.
Julvenzor
July 29, 2014, 09:03 AM
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.
luis magistrado
July 31, 2014, 05:04 PM
Thank you very much.
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