Periphrastic constructions use multiple words to express what a single verb form might convey, and they often add nuance about intention, imminence, or habitual action. This guide covers the most common periphrastic constructions so you can recognize and use them naturally.
Ir a + Infinitive
The periphrasis ir a + infinitivo expresses a near future action or intention, and it is widely used in spoken Spanish to signal what someone plans to do shortly.
Examples
Spanish Example
English Translation
🏖️ Voy a reservar la casa en la playa.
I’m going to book the beach house.
🚗 Vamos a salir temprano para evitar el tráfico.
We’re going to leave early to avoid traffic.
📅 Ella va a planificar una ruta de senderismo.
She’s going to plan a hiking route.
🧳 Ellos van a preparar las maletas esta tarde.
They’re going to pack the suitcases this afternoon.
Expressions
Spanish Example
English Translation
🌅 Vamos a ver el amanecer en la montaña.
Let’s watch the sunrise on the mountain.
🔥 Voy a hacer una fogata en la playa.
I’m going to make a bonfire on the beach.
🎣 Voy a probar a pescar en el lago.
I’m going to try fishing on the lake.
Estar + Gerundio
The construction estar + gerundio describes an action in progress at a given moment, emphasizing the ongoing nature of the activity.
Examples
Spanish Example
English Translation
🏖️ Estoy reservando la casa en la playa ahora mismo.
I’m booking the beach house right now.
🗺️ Estamos mirando mapas para planificar la ruta.
We’re looking at maps to plan the route.
🧵 Ella está organizando los itinerarios por día.
She’s organizing the daily itineraries.
📦 Ellos están empacando las maletas.
They’re packing the suitcases.
Expressions
Spanish Example
English Translation
🏊 Estoy practicando natación para el viaje.
I’m practicing swimming for the trip.
🚴 Estamos entrenando con las bicicletas hoy.
We’re training with the bikes today.
🧗 Ella está escalando para prepararse.
She’s climbing to get ready.
Tener que / Hay que / Deber que / Deber (+ Infinitive)
These periphrases express necessity or obligation. Tener que is personal, hay que is impersonal, and deber can add varying degrees of duty depending on context.
Examples
Spanish Example
English Translation
🧾 Tengo que confirmar la reserva antes de viajar.
I have to confirm the booking before traveling.
🧹 Hay que limpiar la casa antes de irnos.
We have to clean the house before leaving.
⚠️ Debo enviar los itinerarios a todos los participantes.
I should send the itineraries to all participants.
⏰ Tenemos que salir a tiempo para llegar al aeropuerto.
We have to leave on time to get to the airport.
Expressions
Spanish Example
English Translation
📋 Hay que hacer una lista de cosas para llevar.
We need to make a packing list.
🔑 Tener que devolver las llaves antes de salir.
Having to return the keys before leaving.
🕒 Deber llegar al punto de encuentro temprano.
Should arrive at the meeting point early.
Volver a + Infinitivo
Volver a + infinitivo indicates that an action is repeated, signaling that someone does something again after having done it before.
Examples
Spanish Example
English Translation
🏠 Volvimos a reservar la casa porque hubo un error.
We booked the house again because there was a mistake.
🗺️ Ella volvió a mirar el mapa para confirmar la ruta.
She looked at the map again to confirm the route.
📧 Volvieron a enviar el correo con los detalles.
They sent the email with the details again.
🔄 Voy a volver a empaquetar la maleta para organizar mejor.
I’m going to pack the suitcase again to organize better.
Expressions
Spanish Example
English Translation
🔙 Voy a volver a comprobar las reservas.
I’m going to check the bookings again.
📝 Ella volvió a hacer la lista de actividades.
She made the activities list again.
📞 Volvieron a llamar al alojamiento para confirmar.
They called the accommodation again to confirm.
Acabar de / Terminar de + Infinitivo
Acabar de + infinitivo marks a very recent action, while terminar de + infinitivo highlights the completion of an activity; both help situate actions in time relative to the moment of speaking.
Examples
Spanish Example
English Translation
🧳 Acabo de hacer la maleta y quiero repasar la lista.
I just finished packing and want to review the list.
🗂️ Terminamos de organizar los documentos del viaje.
We finished organizing the travel documents.
🧼 Ella acaba de limpiar la casa antes de la partida.
She just cleaned the house before leaving.
📝 Terminaron de preparar los itinerarios turísticos.
They finished preparing the sightseeing itineraries.
Expressions
Spanish Example
English Translation
✅ Acabo de confirmar la hora del vuelo.
I just confirmed the flight time.
📬 Terminó de enviar las invitaciones del viaje.
He finished sending the trip invitations.
🧾 Acabamos de recibir el comprobante de reserva.
We just received the booking receipt.
Seguir / Continuar + Gerundio
Seguir and continuar followed by a gerundio express that an action persists over time, often despite expectations to the contrary.
Examples
Spanish Example
English Translation
🗺️ Seguimos planificando la ruta mientras tomamos café.
We keep planning the route while having coffee.
🧳 Ella continúa empacando cosas de última hora.
She continues packing last-minute things.
🧑💻 Estoy siguiendo buscando ofertas de alojamiento.
I’m still looking for accommodation deals.
🧴 Siguen organizando los productos de viaje.
They continue organizing travel items.
Expressions
Spanish Example
English Translation
🕶️ Sigo preparando mi equipaje para la playa.
I’m still preparing my beach luggage.
🏕️ Continúan montando las tiendas de campaña.
They continue setting up the tents.
🔍 Sigo revisando comentarios de otros viajeros.
I keep checking reviews from other travelers.
Dejar de + Infinitivo
Dejar de + infinitivo signals the cessation of an action, marking that someone stopped doing something.
Examples
Spanish Example
English Translation
📵 Dejé de buscar hoteles cuando encontré uno con descuento.
I stopped looking for hotels when I found one with a discount.
🧹 Dejaron de limpiar para comenzar a empacar.
They stopped cleaning to start packing.
⏸️ Ella dejó de hacer la lista para atender una llamada.
She stopped making the list to answer a call.
🛑 Dejamos de planificar para descansar un rato.
We stopped planning to rest for a while.
Expressions
Spanish Example
English Translation
🛒 Dejé de hacer la compra para revisar las reservas.
I stopped grocery shopping to check the bookings.
📱 Dejó de usar el móvil durante la reunión de viaje.
He stopped using the phone during the trip meeting.
💤 Dejamos de trabajar para preparar el equipaje.
We stopped working to prepare the luggage.
Summary
Periphrastic constructions rely on auxiliary verbs and verbal forms like infinitives and gerundios to convey time, aspect, and modality in flexible ways. Practice each pattern with real examples to feel their nuances and use them naturally in speech.
