First of all, let’s remember that we can not always translate things literally.
Many English phrasal verbs are translated into Spanish as one single word only; a verb.
A phrasal verb is a phrase that consists of two words, a verb (a doing word/ action) and a preposition.
Prepositions are often used to describe where, when, or how something happens. These are small words that connect ideas.
Por ejemplo (For example) : To look after (phrasal verb) : cuidar
La mujer cuida a su bebé. (The woman looks after her baby.)
There are many Spanish prepositions, and some of the most common ones are:
‘en’, ‘por’, ‘para’, ‘de’, ‘con’ and ‘a’.
Let’s focus this time on the preposition ‘en’.
The preposition ‘en’, generally means in, at, on. But as you can see below it could have a slightly different meaning according to what you are trying to say. Hence it’s important to learn certain expressions.
Verb + Preposition | Structure | Meaning | Example |
Pensar en | Pensar en + (infinitive verb / noun) | It means that someone is actively reflecting on or contemplating something. | Estoy pensando en irme de vacaciones. (I am contemplating / thinking of going on holiday.) |
Consistir en | Consistir en + (infinitive verb / noun) | With verbs mean, to involve. With a noun To consist of. | Tener tu propia empresa consiste en ser muy organizado. (Having your own company involves being very organized.) El menú consiste en tres platos. (The menu consist in three dishes) |
Confiar en | Confiar en + (infinitive verb / noun) | With infinitive v., means To be confident in. With a noun, To trust or rely on. | Confiamos en llegar a tiempo. (We trust we will get there on time) No confío en los ingredientes. (I don’t trust the ingredients) |
Dudar en | Dudar en + (infinitive verb) | To hesitate to | Ella duda en viajar sola. (She hesitates to travel on her own) |
Insistir en | Insistir en + (infinitive verb / noun) | To put emphasis on something | Insisto en llevar nuestros abrigos. (I insist on taking our coats) |
Recuerda: (Remember)
Prepositional verbs followed by infinitive verbs are the equivalent of -ing in English.
Comments