Two Verbs in a Spanish Sentence? The Ultimate Guide (e.g., Quiero Comer)

You’re starting to build sentences in Spanish, and things are going great. You can say “I eat” (Yo como) and “I want” (Yo quiero). But then you hit a wall. How do you say “I want to eat”? Do you conjugate both verbs? Do you add a weird little word in between?

If you’ve ever asked yourself, "Can I use two verbs together in Spanish?"—the answer is a resounding YES! In fact, it's one of the most common and useful structures in the language.

Let's break down this simple rule that will unlock a whole new level of expression for you.

The Golden Rule: Conjugate the First, Keep the Second

When you have two verbs sitting next to each other in a Spanish sentence, the rule is refreshingly simple:

1. Conjugate the first verb to match the subject (I, you, he/she, etc.) and tense (present, past, future). (If you need a refresher on how to conjugate regular verbs, check out our guide on -AR verbs in the present tense.)
2. Leave the second verb in its original infinitive form. The infinitive is the basic, unconjugated form of the verb—the one that ends in -ar, -er, or -ir.

Think of it like this: the first verb does all the hard work, and the second one gets to relax.

Let's look at our starting example: "Quiero comerI want to eat."

• Quiero: This is the yo (I) conjugation of the verb quererto want.
• Comer: This is the infinitive form of the verb comerto eat.

See? We didn't say "Quiero como." That's the most common mistake for beginners. We conjugate querer and leave comer as is.

More Examples of the Two-Verb Rule

This pattern works with tons of different verbs. Here are some of the most common ones you'll use every day.

• Poder (to be able/can)
  • ¿Puedes ayudarme?Can you help me?
  • No podemos ir.We can't go.
• Necesitar (to need)
  • Necesito estudiar más.I need to study more.
  • Ella necesita dormir.She needs to sleep.
• Deber (should/must)
  • Debes escuchar.You should listen.
  • Deben salir.They must leave.
• Saber (to know how)
  • Yo sé nadar.I know how to swim.
  • ¿Sabes cocinar?Do you know how to cook?

Time to Practice!

Let's test your knowledge. Choose the correct form to complete the sentence below.

The Plot Twist: Verbs That Need a "Connector"

While the "conjugate + infinitive" rule is your foundation, some Spanish verbs need a small connecting word, usually a preposition like a or de, before the second verb. Think of it as a little bridge linking the two actions.

There's no magic rule for knowing which verbs need a connector; it's something you'll pick up with practice and exposure. Here are some of the most common ones.

Verbs + a + Infinitive

These verbs often imply starting or moving toward an action.

• Ir a (to be going to) - This is how you form the near future tense! (Learn more about the informal future tense.)
  • Voy a viajar.I am going to travel.
  • Vamos a comer pronto.We are going to eat soon.
• Empezar a / Comenzar a (to start to)
  • Empieza a llover.It's starting to rain.
• Aprender a (to learn to)
  • Él aprende a conducir.He is learning to drive.

Verbs + de + Infinitive

These often relate to stopping or finishing an action.

• Dejar de (to stop doing something)
  • Necesito dejar de fumar.I need to stop smoking.
• Acabar de (to have just done something)
  • Acabamos de comer.We just finished eating.

Let's Build a Sentence!

Can you put the words in the correct order? This one uses a connector!

You've Got This!

The two-verb rule is a fundamental concept in Spanish that dramatically expands what you can communicate.

To recap:

• Main Rule: When two verbs are together, conjugate the first and leave the second as an infinitive (-ar, -er, -ir).
• The Exception: Some verbs need a small "connector" word like a or de before the infinitive.

Keep practicing this structure, and soon you'll be stringing verbs together like a pro. You can do it! ¡Tú puedes hacerlo!