With or without the article
Where English uses an -ing form as a noun (Travelling is a pleasure), Spanish uses the infinitive. Without an article this is the neutral choice: Viajar es un placer. With an article it is called the infinitivo sustantivado (the infinitive used as a noun). It is always masculine singular: el viajar, este viajar, su viajar.
The pattern
Same statement, two tones
Neutral
Comer, beber y viajar son placeres.
Eating, drinking and travelling are pleasures.
Madrugar tiene sus ventajas.
Getting up early has its advantages.
With article
El comer, el beber y el viajar son placeres.
Eating, drinking and travelling are pleasures.
more stylised, like a line from an essay
El madrugar tiene sus ventajas.
Early rising has its advantages.
Noun or verb? The add-ons decide
The infinitive with an article has two faces. With an adjective and a de phrase it behaves like a noun. With a direct object, an adverb or an attached pronoun it stays a verb. The two patterns are usually not mixed.
Like a noun: adjective + de
The adjective usually comes before the infinitive, and the doer follows with de. Typical for describing sounds and movement.
El continuo ir y venir de la gente no me dejaba dormir.
The constant coming and going of people kept me awake.
Desde la ventana se oía el ladrar de los perros.
From the window you could hear the dogs barking.
Me dormí con el suave murmurar del río.
I fell asleep to the gentle murmur of the river.
Like a verb: object, adverb, pronoun
The infinitive keeps its verbal add-ons. Reflexive pronouns attach to the end as usual.
El decir siempre la verdad te puede traer problemas.
Always telling the truth can get you into trouble.
Me agota su quejarse de todo.
His complaining about everything wears me out.
El saber idiomas abre muchas puertas.
Knowing languages opens a lot of doors.
Infinitives that have become real nouns
Some infinitives have long been ordinary nouns. They have their own meaning and take a plural: el deber → los deberes, el poder → los poderes, el amanecer → los amaneceres. There is no choice to make here, you just use the word.
| Noun | Meaning |
|---|---|
| el deber · los deberes | duty · homework |
| el placer · los placeres | pleasure |
| el amanecer · el atardecer | sunrise · dusk |
| el parecer | opinion (a mi parecer) |
| los quehaceres | chores |
A mi parecer, la propuesta llega tarde.
In my view, the proposal comes too late.
En esa costa hay unos amaneceres preciosos.
That coast has beautiful sunrises.
