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VB04 Spanish Verbs with Prepositions

By Doc Molly on June 6, 2019 0

In this Spanish grammar audio lesson, we practice using common verbs with prepositions. As with all my audio lessons, I invite you to speak Spanish with me. This lesson will focus on verbs with prepositions, followed by the infinitive of another verb.  For example,

Verbo + Preposición + Infinitivo
Trato + de + hablar.

Table of Contents

  • 1:24 Verbo + A
  • 7:21 Verbo + CON
  • 8:57 Verbo + DE
  • 14:44 Verbo + EN

Verbo + A

1:24

ACOSTUMBRARSE A

Me acostumbré a levantarme temprano.
I got used to waking up early.

To Teach and To Learn

1:43

ENSEÑAR A

Ellos podrían enseñarte a bailar.
They could teach you to dance.

APRENDER A

Aprendí a hablar español en Bolivia.
I learned to speak Spanish in Bolivia.

Aprendieron a nadar en los lagos de Minnesota.
They learned to swim in the lakes of Minnesota.

ATREVERSE A

2:41

Me atrevería a decir que sí.
I would dare to say yes.

AYUDAR A

2:56

¿Me vas a ayudar a resolver este problema?
Are you going to help me to resolve this problem?

To Begin

3:14

EMPEZAR A

Empecé a estudiar todas las noches.
I began to study every night.

COMENZAR A

Comencemos a preparar la cena.
Let’s begin to prepare dinner.

ECHARSE A

Se echó a correr cuando vio al perro.
He began to run when he saw the dog.


PONERSE A

Se puso a reír cuando escuchó las noticias.
He began to laugh when I heard the news.

DISPONERSE A

4:28

Me dispongo a salir ahora.
I’m getting ready to leave now.

DECIDIRSE A

4:42

Me decidí a tomar una clase de chino.
I decided to take a class en Chinese.

OJO: If you had used the non-reflexive form of the verb, you would not have followed it with the preposition A.

Decidí tomar una clase de chino.

INVITAR A

5:11

Lo invitamos a salir con nosotros.
We invited him to go out with us.

OJO: Although, LO refers to the DIRECT OBJECT of the verb INVITAR is also very common to use LE with this verb. The same holds true for AYUDAR, and many other verbs. So don’t sweat it!

OBLIGAR A

5:44

Nos obligaron a salir.
They forced us to leave.

NEGARSE A

5:57

Me niego a hacerlo.
I refuse to do it.

Me niego a decírtelo.
I refuse to tell you.

RESOLVERSE A

6:31

Se resolvió a mudarse a Guatemala.
He resolved to move to Guatemala.

LIMITARSE A

6:45

Me limité a observar.
I simply observed.

VOLVER A

7:09

Tengo que volver a leerlo.
I need to read it again.

Verbo + CON

7:21

AMENAZAR CON

Amenazó con dejarlo.
She threatened to leave him.

CONTAR CON

7:39

Cuento con ganar la lotería.
I am counting on winning the lottery.

OJO:

CONTAR CON is commonly followed by an object to express you can count on someone or something.
Puedes contar conmigo.
You can count on me.

SOÑAR CON

8:07

Sueño con ir a Cuba algún día.
I dream of going to Cuba someday.

SOÑAR CON is often followed by an object (a person or thing).
Soñé con mi papá anoche.
I dreamt of my dad last night.

CONTENTARSE CON

8:43

No se contentaba con quedarse en casa.
She was not content to stay at home.

Verbo + DE

9:15

ACABAR DE

Acabo de limpiar la casa.
I just finished cleaning the house.

ACORDARSE DE

9:15

Acuérdate de llamar a tu abuela.
Recuerda llamar a tu abuela.
Remember to call your grandma.

OLVIDARSE DE

10:01

Siempre me olvido de llamarlos.
Siempre olvido llamarlos.
I always forget to call them.

ARREPENTIRSE DE

10:35

Me arrepiento de venir a esta fiesta.
I regret coming to this party.

CANSARSE DE

10:50

Se cansa de hacer todo el trabajo.
He is tired of doing all the work.

To Stop Doing Something

11:04

DEJAR DE

Dejaste de sacar buenas notas cuando te enamoraste.
You stopped getting good grades when you fell in love.

PARAR DE

No puedo parar de pensar en ello / pensarlo.
I can’t stop thinking about it.

OJO: Here LO and ELLO act as neuter pronouns representing a concept.

To Take Charge

12:00

ENCARGARSE DE

No te preocupes. Yo me encargo de dar la clase.
Don’t worry. I’ll take care of teaching the class.

¿Te encargaste de llamar al cliente?
Did you take care of calling the client/customer?

OCUPARSE DE

Se ocupa de mandar las invitaciones.
I’ll take care of sending the invitations.

OJO: Both of these verbs are often used with objects.

Yo me ocupo / Me encargo de todo eso.
I’ll take care of all that.

TRATAR DE

13:25

Trato de estudiar español al menos 2 horas al día.
I try to study Spanish for at least 2 hours a day.

OJO: TRATAR DE can be used to mean “to be about.”
El libro trata de su vida.
The book is about her life.

Learn the difference between TRATAR DE y TRATARSE DE and why it is probably wrong to say, “El libro se trata de su vida,” at least according to strict grammarians. 😉

Verbo + EN

14:44

To Agree to Do Something

CONSENTIR EN

Consentí en ir con ellos.
I agreed to go with them.

CONVENIR EN

Convinieron en tener la fiesta en mi casa.
They agreed to have the party at my house.

QUEDAR EN

Quedamos en almorzar juntos a la una.
We agreed to have lunch together at one.

DUDAR EN

15:51

Duda en decírselo.
He hesitates to tell her.

EMPEÑARSE EN

16:11

Se empeña en mantenerse en forma.
She makes a point of staying fit.

INSISTIR EN

16:26

Insiste en pagar la cuenta.
I insist on paying the bill.

ESFORZARSE EN

16:39

Se esfuerza en sacar buenas notas.
He strives to get good grades.

TARDAR EN

16:65

Siempre tardo en terminar mi tarea.
It always takes me a while to finish my work.

Rellenemos los Huecos

17:12

Nuestro gato siempre insiste __ salir. Se niega __ quedarse en casa más de cuatro horas por vez. Y si tardamos __ llegar a la puerta para dejarlo salir, se pone __ llorar. ¿Y por qué se empeña __ salir? Porque sueña __ cazar conejitos y pajaritos. Justo después de salir por la puerta se echa __ correr al bosque para cazar. Mi marido, a quien le encantan los pajaritos, se cansa __ ver a nuestro gato cazándolos. Por eso, se esfuerza __ enseñar a nuestro Schnookies __ no cazar los pajaritos. Cuando ve a Schnookies persiguiendo a un pajarito, comienza __ gritar, “¡No! ¡No!” Y amenaza  __ mojarlo con un balde de agua. ¿Qué opinas? ¿Schnookies va a dejar __ cazar pajaritos? ¡Lo dudo mucho!; Schnookies es muy listo pero es un gato, No puedes entrenar a un gato.


¡Gradias por Escuchar!

If you have any questions about this lesson, please leave a comment below.

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