conjugation.nonfinite.infinitive
The infinitive: -ar, -er, -ir and where it goes
Every Spanish verb ends in -ar, -er, or -ir. The infinitive follows prepositions and conjugated verbs, and serves as the verb's noun form: me gusta viajar.
conjugationA1, A2standardinternally_reviewedv1.0.0
Explanation
The three endings -ar, -er, -ir define the three conjugation classes; -ar is by far the largest and the only productive one (new verbs like googlear are -ar).
After a preposition, Spanish always uses the infinitive — never a gerund: antes de salir, sin pensar, para entender (English: 'before leaving', 'without thinking').
It also acts as a noun (fumar es malo), follows modal-type verbs directly (puedo ayudar, quiero ir, debo salir), and hosts attached pronouns: quiero verte, voy a comprarlo.
Examples
I like cooking.
Region: global
Before signing, read the contract.
Region: global
I want to see you soon.
Region: global