Estructuras





Los equipos acaban de irse del aeropuerto y van todos al hotel.
 
In Spanish, there are a lot of useful expressions that combine two verbs. Remember, when we have two verbs, one after the other, we always change (conjugate) the first one, and keep the second in the infinitive (unchanged) form.
 
We can use one of these combinations to say something we have just done using “acabar”. Acabar is a regular -ar verb, so it follows the same structure in the present as all -ar regular verbs you have already learned.
 
Acabar: to finish
(yo) acabo (nosotros)
(nosotras) 		acabamos
(tĂş) acabas (vosotros)
(vosotras) 		acabáis
Ă©l
ella
usted 		acaba ellos
ellas
ustedes 		acaban
 
Acabar de + infinitive (unchanged) verb = to have just done something
 
OJO: We will keep “acabar” in the present tense here, however, this can also be used in the past tense.
 

Por ejemplo:

 
Acabo de llegar al aeropuerto.
I just arrived in the airport.
 
Acabas de ir de compras.
You just went shopping.
 
Can you think of any other two-verb combinations?
 
You have already looked at some in the previous modules, for example:
 
  • “ir a + infinitivo”
  • “tener que + infinitivo”
 
These two-verb combinations have an extra word (a, de, que).
 
Other common examples two-verb combinations can be used with the verbs “querer (e:ie)”, “poder (o:ue)” and “pensar (e:ie)”. When we combine these two verbs they do not require an extra word.
 

Por ejemplo:

 
ÂżQuieres ir al hotel ahora mismo?
Do you want to go to the hotel right now?
 
Señor, ¿puede hablar más despacio, por favor?
Sir, can you speak more slowly, please?
 
Queremos ver las murallas histĂłricas de Cartagena.
We want to see Cartagena’s historic walls.
 
Piensan tomar unas fotos cerca de la playa.
They are planning to take some pictures close to the beach.
 
Practiquemos en la página siguiente con estas combinaciones de verbos y con un poco de vocabulario.