Gerund vs infinitive

[luis magistrado]

hello,

I would like to ask if there are instances when the gerund and infinitive may be used interchangeably?

[AngelicaDeAlquezar]

Not that I can think of now.

Do you have any specific idea of a situation where you think they could be?

[wrholt]

Not in Spanish, no.

[luis magistrado]

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]

Originally Posted by luis magistrado

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]

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.

[luis magistrado]

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]

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]

Thank you very much.