A2 Spanish grammar
Spanish Verbal Periphrases for Beginning, Continuing, and Ending
Short verb combinations let you describe the stage of an action: its beginning, continuation, stopping point, or very recent completion.
Spanish verbal periphrases: Start with empezar a
Conjugate empezar, add a, and keep the action verb in the infinitive.
Empezamos a estudiar a las nueve.Quick check
She starts to work.
Continue with seguir plus gerund
Conjugate seguir and add a gerund to show that an action continues.
Sigue lloviendo.Stop or report a recent action
Use dejar de plus an infinitive for stopping and acabar de plus an infinitive for having just done something.
Acabo de llegar y dejo de trabajar a las seis.Common mistakes
Empiezo estudiar.
Empiezo a estudiar.
Empezar requires a before the infinitive.
Sigue a llover.
Sigue lloviendo.
This continuation pattern takes a gerund, not a plus infinitive.
Acabo llegar.
Acabo de llegar.
Acabar in the recent-past expression requires de.
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Beginning, continuing, and ending FAQ
What does beginning, continuing, and ending cover?
Short verb combinations let you describe the stage of an action: its beginning, continuation, stopping point, or very recent completion.
What is the first rule to remember?
Conjugate empezar, add a, and keep the action verb in the infinitive.
What is another important A2 pattern?
Conjugate seguir and add a gerund to show that an action continues.
How can I practise Spanish verbal periphrases?
Complete the focused round, review each correction, and repeat the lesson when its skills become due again.