5.4 High-Yield Verbal Periphrases: Ir a + Infinitivo, Tener que + Infinitivo, Estar + Gerundio

DELE A1 Study Guide Exam

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1 Introduction, Exam Architecture & Scoring

1.1 About the DELE A1 Exam: Purpose, CEFR Level & Registration 1.2 Exam Architecture: Four Pruebas & Two-Group Scoring System 1.3 Strategic Preparation: Study Schedule, Time Management & Exam Traps

2 Prueba 1: Comprensión de Lectura (Reading Comprehension)

2.1 Reading Tarea 1: One Personal Email or Postcard (5 Questions) 2.2 Reading Tarea 2: Notes, Signs & Short Notices (Match 6 Sentences to 9 Texts) 2.3 Reading Tarea 3: Matching People's Needs to Short Ads (6 of 9) 2.4 Reading Tarea 4: Extracting Details from One Informational Text (8 Questions)

3 Prueba 2: Comprensión Auditiva (Listening Comprehension)

3.1 Listening Tarea 1: Short Interpersonal Dialogues & Graphic Selection 3.2 Listening Tarea 2: Short Messages & Announcements Matched to Pictures 3.3 Listening Tarea 3: Eight Statements from One Monologue (Matching Beginnings and Endings) 3.4 Listening Tarea 4: One Conversation, Seven Sentences to Complete

4 Core Grammar I: Essential Verbs & Foundations

4.1 Subject Pronouns & Regular Present Tense (-ar, -er, -ir) 4.2 Ser vs. Estar: Permanent Identity vs. Temporary States & Locations 4.3 Essential Irregular & Stem-Changing Verbs 4.4 Reflexive Verbs, Daily Routines & Time Sequencing

5 Core Grammar II: Nouns, Modifiers & Structures

5.1 Gender, Number, Articles & Noun-Adjective Agreement 5.2 Expressing Likes & Preferences: Gustar, Encantar, Interesar & Parecer 5.3 Question Words, Demonstratives & Possessive Adjectives 5.4 High-Yield Verbal Periphrases: Ir a + Infinitivo, Tener que + Infinitivo, Estar + Gerundio

6 Essential Vocabulary: Numbers, Time & Daily Life

6.1 Cardinal Numbers (0–1,000), Telling Time, Calendar & Weather 6.2 Personal Data, Nationalities, Family Members & Descriptions 6.3 The Home, Furniture, Rooms & Spatial Prepositions

7 Situational Vocabulary: Shopping, Travel, Health, Work & Free Time

7.1 Food, Market Shopping, Restaurant Orders & Asking Prices 7.2 City Navigation, Public Transport & Asking for/Giving Directions 7.3 Physical Well-Being, Body Parts, Doctor Visits & Pharmacy Purchases 7.4 Studies, Work, Free Time & Communication

8 Prueba 3: Expresión e Interacción Escritas (Written Expression & Interaction)

8.1 Writing Tarea 1: Personal Data Form Completion & Questionnaires 8.2 Writing Tarea 2: Short Epistolary Texts (Emails, Postcards, Messages & Ads, 30–40 Words) 8.3 Writing Scales, Essential Connectors & Common Spelling Errors

9 Prueba 4: Expresión e Interacción Orales (Oral Expression & Interaction)

9.1 Oral Tarea 1: Personal Presentation (1–2 Minute Monologue) 9.2 Oral Tarea 2: Exposición de un tema (2–3 Minute Talk on a Topic) 9.3 Oral Tarea 3: Conversation with the Interviewer (and Your Two Questions) 9.4 Oral Scoring Scales, Pronunciation & Communication Repair

5.4 High-Yield Verbal Periphrases: Ir a + Infinitivo, Tener que + Infinitivo, Estar + Gerundio

Key Takeaways Explain This Topic AI

Verbal periphrases combine a conjugated auxiliary verb with a non-finite verb (infinitive or gerund) to convey aspect, tense, and modality without requiring advanced synthetic conjugations.

The periphrasis ir a + infinitivo replaces the synthetic future tense at CEFR A1, serving as the standard construction to express future plans, intentions, and scheduled events in both speaking and writing.

Personal necessity and obligation are expressed through conjugated tener que + infinitivo, whereas universal, impersonal rules are expressed using the invariable hay que + infinitivo.

Estar + gerundio describes actions actively taking place at the exact moment of speech, formed with regular endings -ando (-ar) and -iendo (-er/-ir), alongside high-yield irregulars like leyendo and durmiendo.

Estar + gerundio describes what is happening now ('Estoy estudiando español'); the Instituto Cervantes Niveles de referencia place it at A2, so A1 candidates mainly need to recognise it.

Last updated: October 2026

5.4 High-Yield Verbal Periphrases: Ir a + Infinitivo, Tener que + Infinitivo, Estar + Gerundio

A verbal periphrasis ( perífrasis verbal ) is a grammatical structure formed by combining a conjugated auxiliary verb with a non-finite verb form (an infinitive or a gerund), frequently connected by a preposition or conjunction:

Conjugated Auxiliary Verb + ( Link: a / que ) + Non-Finite Verb (Infinitive / Gerund) \textbf{Conjugated Auxiliary Verb} + (\text{Link: } \textit{a / que}) + \textbf{Non-Finite Verb (Infinitive / Gerund)} Conjugated Auxiliary Verb + ( Link: a / que ) + Non-Finite Verb (Infinitive / Gerund)

For a CEFR A1 learner, verbal periphrases are high-yield linguistic shortcuts. Instead of having to memorize complex synthetic verb tenses—such as the simple future ( cantaré ) or the conditional ( estudiaría )—you can express future plans, immediate intentions, personal obligations, and ongoing actions simply by conjugating a familiar present-tense verb ( ir , tener , estar ) and appending an infinitive or gerund.

In the DELE A1 oral rater's scale, the top band for Tareas 1 and 2 lists perífrasis básicas among the basic grammar a strong candidate controls, and these structures appear constantly in the reading and listening texts (the Modelo 0 email says vamos a visitar San Sebastián ). The Instituto Cervantes Niveles de referencia place ir a , tener que , hay que and estar + gerundio at A2, so at A1 they are mainly for recognition and for a few high-frequency uses in your own speech and writing.

Periphrasis 1: Expressing the Future ( Ir a + Infinitivo )

The periphrasis ir a + infinitivo expresses immediate intentions, planned actions, and near-future events. In everyday spoken and written Spanish across both Spain and Latin America, this construction is used far more frequently than the synthetic future tense. Formula for the Near Future:

• [ Present Tense of IR ] + [ Preposition A ] + [ Base INFINITIVE ]
• (voy, vas, va, vamos, vais, van) + a + (hablar, comer, vivir...)
• Conjugation Paradigm & Practical Examples

Person Auxiliary Ir Preposition Infinitive Complete Sentence English Meaning

Yo voy a estudiar Esta tarde voy a estudiar en la biblioteca. This afternoon I am going to study in the library.

Tú vas a hacer ¿Qué vas a hacer este fin de semana? What are you going to do this weekend?

Él / Ella / Usted va a comprar Lucas va a comprar un billete de tren. Lucas is going to buy a train ticket.

Nosotros / -as vamos a cenar Hoy vamos a cenar en un restaurante. Today we are going to have dinner at a restaurant.

Vosotros / -as vais a viajar ¿Cuándo vais a viajar a Barcelona? When are you (all) going to travel to Barcelona?

Ellos / Ellas / Uds. van a visitar Mis padres van a visitar el museo. My parents are going to visit the museum.

Critical DELE A1 Exam Applications

Prueba 3 (Writing Tarea 2) : A 30–40-word message or postcard can include a plan. Sentences like "El sábado voy a ir a la playa y voy a comer con mi familia" sound natural.

Prueba 4 (Oral Tarea 3) : If the interviewer asks "¿Qué va a hacer este fin de semana?" , answer with "Voy a descansar..." or "Voy a visitar a..." . Most Tarea 3 questions, however, are about your habits in the present tense.

Caution

Never Omit the Preposition a : A very common beginner transfer error is dropping the linking preposition a ( Voy estudiar or Vamos comer ). In Spanish, the preposition a is strictly mandatory: Voy a estudiar , Vamos a comer .

Periphrasis 2: Obligation & Necessity ( Tener que vs. Hay que )

Spanish distinguishes clearly between personal obligation (directed at a specific individual or group) and impersonal obligation (general necessity, public rules, or universal recommendations).

1. Personal Obligation: Tener que + Infinitivo

When a specific person is obligated to perform an action, conjugate the irregular verb tener in the present tense, followed by the conjunction que , followed by the base infinitive:

Tener (conjugated) + que + Infinitivo \textbf{Tener (conjugated)} + \textbf{que} + \textbf{Infinitivo} Tener (conjugated) + que + Infinitivo

• Yo tengo que estudiar mucho para aprobar el DELE A1. (I have to study hard to pass DELE A1.)
• ¿ Tienes que trabajar mañana por la mañana? (Do you have to work tomorrow morning?)
• Marta tiene que levantarse a las siete. (Marta has to get up at seven.)
• Nosotros tenemos que comprar las entradas hoy. (We have to buy the tickets today.)
• Ellos tienen que salir temprano para el aeropuerto. (They have to leave early for the airport.)
• 2. Impersonal Obligation: Hay que + Infinitivo

When stating a general rule, universal duty, or collective necessity where no specific grammatical subject is named, use the invariable form hay (from the verb haber ), followed by que , followed by the base infinitive:

• Hay + que + Infinitivo \textbf{Hay} + \textbf{que} + \textbf{Infinitivo} Hay + que + Infinitivo
• En la biblioteca hay que guardar silencio. (In the library one must keep quiet / you must be quiet.)
• Para viajar al extranjero hay que llevar el pasaporte. (To travel abroad it is necessary to carry a passport.)
• Para aprender un idioma hay que practicar todos los días. (To learn a language one has to practice every day.)
• En el hospital hay que apagar los teléfonos móviles. (In the hospital one must turn off mobile phones.)
• Summary Comparison: Personal vs. Impersonal

• Feature Tener que + Infinitivo Hay que + Infinitivo
• Subject Specific person ( yo, tú, él, nosotros... ) Impersonal (no specific subject / universal)
• Auxiliary Form Conjugated: tengo, tienes, tiene, tenemos, tenéis, tienen Invariable: strictly hay
• Meaning "I must / you have to / he has to" "One must / it is necessary to / you have to (general)"

DELE Context Explaining personal routines, duties, or reasons for declining an invitation Explaining rules of an institution, transport system, or exam protocol

Periphrasis 3: Actions in Progress ( Estar + Gerundio )

The progressive periphrasis estar + gerundio expresses an action that is actively taking place at the exact moment of speaking. It corresponds to the English "to be + -ing" ( is singing , are eating ).

Estar (conjugated) + Gerundio (-ando / -iendo) \textbf{Estar (conjugated)} + \textbf{Gerundio (-ando / -iendo)} Estar (conjugated) + Gerundio (-ando / -iendo)

1. Conjugation of Auxiliary Estar

Remember the present-tense forms of estar (which all carry written accents except the yo and nosotros forms):

• yo estoy
• tú estás
• él / ella / usted está
• nosotros / -as estamos
• vosotros / -as estáis
• ellos / ellas / ustedes están
• 2. Regular Gerund Formation

To form the regular gerund ( gerundio ), drop the infinitive ending and attach the appropriate suffix:

• Verb Class Infinitive Ending Gerund Suffix Infinitive Examples Gerund Form
• AR Verbs -ar -ando hablar, trabajar, estudiar, escuchar hablando, trabajando, estudiando, escuchando
• ER Verbs -er -iendo comer, beber, aprender, correr comiendo, bebiendo, aprendiendo, corriendo
• IR Verbs -ir -iendo vivir, escribir, abrir, salir viviendo, escribiendo, abriendo, saliendo
• 3. High-Yield Irregular Gerunds at DELE A1

At the A1 level, there are two primary irregular gerund patterns to recognize:

Orthographic Change to -yendo : When the stem of an -er or -ir verb ends in a vowel, the letter i in -iendo changes to y to avoid an unpronounceable three-vowel cluster:

• leer ➔ le- + -iendo ➔ leyendo (reading)
• oír ➔ o- + -iendo ➔ oyendo (hearing / listening)
• creer ➔ cre- + -iendo ➔ creyendo (believing)

Stem-Vowel Shift ( o ➔ u ) in -IR Verbs :

• dormir ➔ durmiendo (sleeping)
• Where Estar + Gerundio Helps at A1

The DELE A1 oral test has no picture-description task: Tarea 2 is a short talk on a topic from your own life, such as your week. Estar + gerundio is therefore not a required structure, but it is useful in three places:

Postcards and messages (writing Tarea 2) : saying what you are doing right now or these days: Estoy en Sevilla y estoy visitando la ciudad con mi hermana.

Your own situation (oral Tareas 1 and 2) : Ahora estoy estudiando español en una academia.

Listening and reading : recognising forms such as está lloviendo , estamos comiendo or están jugando in dialogues and messages. Model Sentences for Messages and Short Talks

• "Estoy de vacaciones en Málaga y estoy aprendiendo a nadar."
• "Mi hermano está viviendo en Londres este año."
• "Hoy está lloviendo mucho y estamos en casa."
• "Ahora estoy estudiando para el DELE A1."
• "Mis padres están viajando por Italia."

Tip

Avoid Overusing the Progressive : In English, speakers routinely use the present continuous for future events ( I am flying tomorrow ) or general states ( I am living in London ). In Spanish, do not use estar + gerundio for future plans (use ir a + infinitivo : Mañana voy a viajar ) or for general habitual facts (use the simple present: Vivo en Londres ). Reserve estar + gerundio strictly for actions occurring right now.

Master Synthesis Table: The Three Core A1 Periphrases

Periphrasis Auxiliary Connector Non-Finite Form Core Meaning Primary DELE Exam Use

Ir a + Infinitivo ir (conjugated) a Infinitive ( -ar/-er/-ir ) Planned future / Intention Writing emails about weekend plans; answering oral questions about vacation plans

Tener que + Infinitivo tener (conjugated) que Infinitive ( -ar/-er/-ir ) Personal duty / Obligation Explaining why you cannot attend an event; describing daily work duties

Hay que + Infinitivo haber (invariable hay ) que Infinitive ( -ar/-er/-ir ) Impersonal necessity / General rule Describing rules of a school, hotel, library, or transit network

Estar + Gerundio estar (conjugated) (none) Gerund ( -ando/-iendo ) Action in progress right now Postcards and messages about what you are doing now; recognising actions in listening dialogues