1. More on Verbs: Perfect Infinitives
and Unusual Uses of Ser/Estar
E. Siler

2. The Infinitive
• In English and Spanish, the infinitive verb form
often appears after other verbs.
• We sometimes say it “finishes” the verb.
– Examples: I want to go to the party.
– Quieroir a la fiesta.

3. The Perfect Infinitive: English
• In English, we form the perfect infinitive with
the infinitive of the verb “to have” and the
past participle. Ex: to have known
• We use this to express the idea that the verbal
activity conveyed by the infinitive happened in
the past.

4. More on the Perfect Infinitive
• The perfect infinitive phrase can be used as a
type of subject of a verb or it can occur behind
a verb.
• The verb in front of the infinitive can be in
either past or present tense.

5. Examples
– To have known about the scandal was not
fortuitous.
– He claims to have known about this scandal.
(claim is current; knowledge was in the past)
– He claimed to have known about this scandal.
– (claim was in the past; knowledge was in the past
before the claim)
• The perfect infinitive is NOT used with every
verb in English – it is only used with those that
can take an infinitive.

6. Nuances of the Perfect Infinitive
• Consider the nuances of these sentences:
1. I wanted to go to the party.
2. I wanted to have gone to the party.
3. He claimed to be her long lost husband.
4. He claimed to have been her long lost
husband.

7. Spanish Perfect Infinitives
• The Spanish Perfect Infinitive is somewhat like
that in English.
• It is formed with the verb “haber” and the
past participle (ido/ado) form of the verb.
Example: habersabido (to have known).

8. Example
• It is used in various places in the sentence, but
generally comes after certain (not all) other
verbs, which can be in the past or present.
• Élafirmahabersabidolos hechos. (He claims to
have known the facts).
• Élafirmóhabersabido los hechos. (He claimed
to have known the facts).

9. Translation Warning
• Sometimes, the translation of a perfect
infinitive in Spanish works better as a
translated infinitive or even a gerund in
English.
• Yoniegohaberhechoesecrimen.
• I deny having done that crime.

10. More on Ser/Estar
• As previously mentioned, Spanish has two forms
of the verb “to be” --- ser and estar.
• These two verbs generally are used in different
ways.
• There is a great deal of overlap in the way these
verbs can be translated (as forms of the English
“to be”).
• There are times when there are significant
differences in they way they are used in Spanish -
-- and thus translated in English.

11. Morir
• The Spanish verb for “to die” is “morir.”
• The past participle is “muerto.”
• When used with estar the construction means
“to be dead.”
• Example: Mimadreestámuerta. (My mother
is dead).

12. Examples
• When used with a form of ser the construction
means to have been killed (meaning
assassinated --- not just an accident).
• Nicole Brown
SimpsonhabíasidomuertaporsuesposoOJ
Simpson. (Nicole Brown Simpson had been
killed by her husband OJ Simpson).
• Nicole Brown Simpsonestámuerta. (Nicole
Brown Simpson is dead).