Infinitive complementation
26.2
esperar: Espero ir a la universidad. I hope to go to university. evitar: Evitaré pagar más impuestos. I’ll avoid paying more taxes. intentar: Había intentado componer una sinfonía. He/she had tried to compose a symphony. lamentar: Lamento no haber dicho nada. I regret not having said anything. lograr: ¿Vas a lograr terminar el libro para las siete? Are you going to manage to finish the book by seven o’clock? necesitar: Necesito saber cuál es el mejor de todos. I need to know which is the best of all. negar: Niego haber conducido demasiado deprisa. I deny having driven too fast. pedir: Pedimos ir juntos. We asked to go together. pensar: ¿Qué piensas hacer mañana? What do you intend to do tomorrow? poder: No puedo levantarme. I can’t get up. preferir: Felipe prefería quedarse en casa. Felipe preferred to stay at home. querer: No quiero verla. I don’t want to see her/it. recordar: Recuerdo haberlo conocido en Málaga. I remember meeting him in Málaga. saber: ¿Sabes tocar el violín? Do you know how to play the violin? sentir: Siento decirle que . . . I regret to tell you that . . . soler: Suelo salir los sábados. I usually go out on Saturdays. temer: Temo no encontrar a nadie. I’m afraid of not finding anyone. The subject of the main verb and the implied subject of the infinitive must be the same for the infinitive construction to be used. If this is not the case, then a sentence complement with que must be used, with the verb in the indicative or the subjunctive depending on the meaning (for most of the verbs given above, the subjunctive must be used). Decidimos comprar dos kilos. We decided to buy two kilos. (= We decided that we would buy two kilos) 135