Non-Personal Verb Forms in Spanish: The Infinitive, Gerund, and Participle
What Is a Non-Personal Verb Form?
In Spanish, conjugation is the process of changing a verb to match the subject (person, number, tense, and mood).
However, some verb forms do not change according to the subject — these are called non-personal verb forms (formas no personales del verbo).
There are three of them in Spanish: the infinitive, the gerund, and the past participle.
Simple Examples to Get Started
- Hablar — to speak (infinitive)
- Hablando — speaking (gerund)
- Hablado — spoken (past participle)
Notice that none of these forms change, whether the subject is yo, tú, or ellos. That is what makes them “non-personal.”
The Key Elements of Non-Personal Verb Forms in Spanish
There are exactly three non-personal verb forms in Spanish. Each has its own form and its own uses.
1. The Infinitive (El Infinitivo)
The infinitive is the base form of the verb — the one you find in the dictionary.
It ends in -ar, -er, or -ir.
- Comer — to eat
- Vivir — to live
- Cantar — to sing
The infinitive is used in many situations:
- After another verb: Quiero comer. — I want to eat.
- After a preposition: Antes de salir… — Before leaving…
- As a noun (subject of a sentence): Hablar es importante. — Speaking is important.
2. The Gerund (El Gerundio)
The gerund is formed by adding -ando (for -ar verbs) or -iendo (for -er and -ir verbs) to the verb stem.
It expresses an ongoing or continuous action.
| Infinitive | Gerund | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| hablar | hablando | speaking |
| comer | comiendo | eating |
| vivir | viviendo | living |
Common uses of the gerund:
- With estar to form the present continuous: Estoy comiendo. — I am eating.
- To express how something is done: Aprendí escuchando. — I learned by listening.
- To express two simultaneous actions: Salió corriendo. — He/She left running.
3. The Past Participle (El Participio)
The past participle is formed by adding -ado (for -ar verbs) or -ido (for -er and -ir verbs) to the verb stem.
It is used to talk about completed actions, and it can also work as an adjective.
| Infinitive | Past Participle | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| hablar | hablado | spoken |
| comer | comido | eaten |
| vivir | vivido | lived |
| abrir | abierto ⚠️ | opened (irregular) |
| escribir | escrito ⚠️ | written (irregular) |
Common uses of the past participle:
- With haber to form compound tenses: He comido. — I have eaten.
- As an adjective (it must agree in gender and number): La puerta está abierta. — The door is open.
- In passive constructions: El libro fue escrito por Cervantes. — The book was written by Cervantes.
Why Non-Personal Verb Forms (and Spanish Conjugation) Matter
Understanding non-personal verb forms helps you speak more naturally and fluently.
Here is why they are so useful:
- They are very frequent. You will see and hear them constantly in everyday Spanish.
- They simplify communication. You can use them without worrying about matching person or number.
- They are building blocks. Many tenses (like the present continuous or the perfect tenses) are built using these forms.
- They can act as other parts of speech. The infinitive can be a noun, the participle can be an adjective — this gives you a lot of flexibility.
Comparison With Other Languages
Non-personal verb forms exist in many languages, but they work differently.
Here is a quick comparison between Spanish, French, and English:
| Feature | Spanish | French | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| Infinitive ending | -ar, -er, -ir | -er, -ir, -re, -oir | to + verb (to eat) |
| Gerund / Present Participle | -ando / -iendo | -ant (but used differently) | -ing (eating, speaking) |
| Past Participle | -ado / -ido (+ irregulars) | -é, -i, -u (+ irregulars) | -ed / -en (+ irregulars) |
| Gerund as a subject? | No (use infinitive: Hablar es fácil) | No (use infinitive: Parler c’est facile) | Yes (Speaking is easy) |
| Participle agrees with noun? | Yes, when used as adjective | Yes, with être verbs | No agreement |
Key difference: In English, the -ing form is used as both a gerund (subject of a sentence) and a present participle.
In Spanish, you use the infinitive as the subject, not the gerund.
- English: Swimming is fun.
- Spanish: Nadar es divertido. (NOT Nadando es divertido)
A Complete Example
Let’s look at a short paragraph that uses all three non-personal forms in context:
Me gusta cocinar los fines de semana. Hoy estoy preparando una paella.
Ya he cortado las verduras y he añadido el arroz.
Cocinar es una forma de relajarse.“I like to cook on weekends. Today I am preparing a paella.
I have already cut the vegetables and added the rice.
Cooking is a way to relax.”
In this example:
- Cocinar → infinitive (used after gustar and as a subject noun)
- Preparando → gerund (used with estar to show an ongoing action)
- Cortado, añadido → past participles (used with haber to form the perfect tense)
Key Takeaways
- There are three non-personal verb forms in Spanish: the infinitive, the gerund, and the past participle.
- They are called “non-personal” because they do not change according to the subject.
- The infinitive ends in -ar, -er, or -ir and is used like a noun or after other verbs.
- The gerund ends in -ando or -iendo and expresses ongoing actions.