Quick Grammar Question

[funkcanna]

Hi All, happy new year!

Sorry if this is a silly question but ive never actually known the answer for certain so would like some clarification...

If a sentence contains 2 verbs next to each other, do both of them need to be conjugated or only the first one? I think I have only noticed instances where the first verb is conjugated but the second one is left in the infinitive.

Is there a rule that governs this or can it change depending on circumstances?

Thank you!

[AngelicaDeAlquezar]

Do you have any specific examples? It will be easier to answer and explain for each case...

[funkcanna]

For example, I know that when querer is conjugated directly before another verb, the second verb is always in the infinitive:

Quiero ir a...
Quiero comer...

etc.

Are there any situations (and verbs) where 2 verbs would be conjugated together - for example both verbs conjugated in the Yo form.

[AngelicaDeAlquezar]

I'm not sure if this will answer your question, but maybe with some examples you can ask more specific ones.


Perfect tenses are expressed with "haber" + past participle.

He venido
Habrás comido
Habríamos amado


Passive voice is made with "ser" + past participle:

El auto es comprado.
Las flores son plantadas.


There are combinations between conjugated verbs and gerundio to express two actions happening at the same time:

Vino corriendo.
Estábamos conversando.
Conducía bebiendo.


Verbs "querer" and "poder" can be combined with infinitives to describe an intention or a capability:

Quiero comer
Querías correr
Quisiéramos salir
Puedo venir
Podríamos considerar
Pudieron hablar


But most verbs need prepositions or conjunctions to be linked to another verb (conjugated or not).

Quiero que vengas.
Me dijo que saltara.
Canta y baila.
Durmieron y descansaron.
Vamos a dormir.
Siéntate a comer.
Volvió a decir lo mismo.
Dejen de gritar.
Llamó para hacer una reservación.
Cantaron para alegrarme.

[Perikles]

Originally Posted by funkcanna

If a sentence contains 2 verbs next to each other, do both of them need to be conjugated or only the first one? I think I have only noticed instances where the first verb is conjugated but the second one is left in the infinitive.!

Hello - I have only just noticed this post. The answer is the same for English and Spanish: a sentence can consists of several clauses. A clause have only make sense if it has one and only one finite verb. Therefore, with two verbs next to each other, one of them must be non-finite - (including an infinitive).

What you are talking about with, say, I want to go is a class of verb called modal auxiliaries, and they describe the manner in which the main verb in the infinitive is modified:

I have to go
I want to go
I need to go
(sometimes you get a shortened infinitive)
I must go

Does that help? (It is entirely consistent with @Angelica's excellent post)

[funkcanna]

Thank you Angelica (again!) and Perikles - both answers are perfect and clear