Spanish Verbal Periphrasis

A verbal periphrasis is a verbal construction made of two verb forms, a conjugated form and an impersonal form (an infinitive, a present participle, or a past participle). Verbal periphrasis is used in the informal future, the present progressive, and the perfect tenses.

For this post, I have compiled some of the most important Spanish verbal periphrasis that students should begin to learn.

Acabar DE (to have just done something; to just can't VERB something) – Acaba de darse cuenta de mi error (I have just noticed my error); Acababa de entrar cuando sonó el teléfono (He had just entered when the telephone rang); ¿Puedes echarme una mano cuando acabes de limpiar? (Can you give me a hand when you're done cleaning?); No acabo de entender por qué lo hizo (I just can't understand why he did it); No me acaba de parecer bien que revises el correo de tu novio (I just don't think it's right that you check your boyfriend's email)

Acabar GER (to end up doing something) - Me sigue pareciendo mal que acabara pagando la novia (I still find it bad that the girlfriend ended up paying)

Andar GER (to get around doing something) – Anduvimos buscando la llave (We were searching around for the keys)

Comenzar A (to start doing something) – La gente comenzó a preocuparse por el medio ambiente (The people started to care about the environment)

Continuar GER (to continue doing something) - En cualquier caso continúa siendo optimista (In any case he still is optimist); No creía que continuara lloviendo (I didn't think it would continue raining)

Deber DE (must – expressing possibility) – Debe de ser muy caro estudiar en los Estados Unidos (It must be very expensive to study in the US); Deben de haberse ido por aquí (They must have gone this way); Deben de haberse dado cuenta de que tenemos problemas (They must have noticed we have problems); Deben de haberse equivocado (They must have been wrong)

Deber INF (must – expressing obligation) - No debes preocuparte (You must not worry); Debería cambiarse cada mes (It should be changed monthly);  No deberías haberla dejado sola (You shouldn't have left her alone); Debíamos haber salido ayer (We should have left yesterday)

Dejar DE (to stop doing something) - Cuando deje de llover nos iremos (When it stops raining we will go)

Dejar QUE (let someone/ something do something) - Deja que acabe de llover (let the rain stop); Deja que me toque la lotería y verás (Wait until I won the lottery and you'll see)

Estar GER (to be doing something) – Los niños están estudiando (The children are studying)

Haber DE (must – expressing possibility and obligation) – Hemos de pagar la cuenta (We have to pay the bill); Habían de ser las nueve cuando llegaron (It must be 9 o'clock when they arirved)

Ir A (be going to do something) – Vamos a estudiar. (We are going to study)

Ir GER (be gradually doing something) - id pensando en el tema que queréis tratar (You can now start thinking about the topic you want to talk about); hemos ido consiguiendo lo que queríamos (We've been getting what we wanted); voy comprendiendo que no te ha gustado (I'm underdstanding that you didn't like it)

Llegar A (to come to do something, to achieve) - Llegó a conocer a varios directores de cine (He got to meet some cinema directors); no llego a comprenderlo (I just can't understand it); Me ha llegado a parecer bien que sólo le des 20 pesos a tu hijo, pues si le das más, se compra cualquier chuchería en la escuela (I, now, think it's right that you only give 20 pesos to your son, if you give more, he'll buy junkfoods in school); Julia llegó a ser presidenta (Julia became president); Temí no llegar a ver el año nuevo. (I'm afraid I can't get to new year)

No dejar DE (to keep on doing something; to be always ADJECTIVE; to can't help) - No deja de preguntarme por ti (He keeps asking me about you); Eso no deja de tener gracia (I always find that funny); No deja de ser raro que no haya venido (It's odd you didn't come); No por eso deja de ser una tontería lo que has dicho (That does not stop what you said from being silly); No puedo dejar de asombrarme (I can't help be amazed); No dejes de visitarlos (make sure you visit them); No me deja de parecer mal que les sigas pidiendo dinero a tus padres (I have always thought it bad that you keep asking money to your parents); NOTE: When this periphrasis is used in a negative imperative sentence, its meaning changes to "to make sure to do something" as in "no dejes de visitarlos" which means "make sure to visit them".

Parar DE (to stop doing something) – No para de quejarse (He doesn't stop complaining)

Poder INF (can, to be able to) – Puedo hacerlo yo solo (I can do it alone); No se puede fumar (Smoking prohibited); ¿Me puede decir su nombre? (Can you tell me your name?); Podías haberte roto una pierna (You could have broken your leg)

Seguir GER (to be still doing something) – Me preocupa que sigas cometiendo tantos errores (I'm worried you keep on making a lot of erros)

Soler INF (to be doing something usuall ) – Solemos comenzar a las ocho (We usually start at 8)

Tardar EN (to take much time in doing something) - No tarde usted en informarme (Please tell me as soon as you know); No tardaron en darse cuenta de mi presencia (They immediately noticed my presence)

Tener QUE (to have to do something, should) – Tengo que comprarlo (I have to buy it); Tiene que dolerte mucho ¿no? (It hurts a lot, doesn't it?); ¡Tendrías que haberlo dicho antes! (You should have told us before)

Terminar DE (to not quite feel something – expresses uncertain feelings) - No me cae mal, pero no termina de convencerme (I don't hate him, I'm not too sure about him); No me termina de gustar la casa que hemos visto (I'm not sure about the house we've seen)

Venir A (to be more or less – expresses approximation) – “Perhaps” y “Maybe” vienen a significar lo mismo (Perhaps and Maybe more or less mean the same thing)

Venir GER (to have been doing something) - Eso lo vengo diciendo desde hace tiempo (I've been saying that since a long time ago)

Volver A (to do something again) – Por favor, no lo vuelvas a hacer. (Don't do it again, please)


If you have any question about the usage of these Spanish verbal periphrasis, please leave a comment below.