Spanish periphrasis (I)

We are at the time of the exams. At least I still have not passed everything. I have only passed an exam on Ibero-American literature.

Have you noticed? I just used a periphrasis. And one also appears in the previous sentence.

The periphrases in Spanish are quite irritating to non-native students. They bother me too. There are some that I use almost every day and others that nobody uses, but that the students of the language and blablaba... we have to know. You have to study theory.

What are periphrases?

The periphrasis are structures that have their own meaning and that are constructed by the auxiliary verb and the gerund, the participle or the infinitive; sometimes there is also a nexus ¨que¨ or a preposition. After reading the definition we still do not know anything, right? It is worth noting that in the periphrasis we cannot separate any element and if we do, we change the meaning. Still do not know what it is about? Quiet! I will analyse all that I have learned.

Participle periphrasis

In general they have perfect sense but also those that have durative character appear.

1) tener + participle

This periphrasis has a terminative character; expresses a result or a current product of a previous action. Examples: Tengo hechos todos los deberes. Mi madre tiene preparada la cena. (I have done all my homework. My mother has dinner ready).

It should be noted that it is used only with transitive verbs and accompaniment agree on gender and number with participle.

How to express it in another way? We simply use Perfect Past. Examples: He hecho todos los deberes. Mi madre ha preparado la cena (I have done all the homework. My mother has prepared dinner).

We only use it in the present or in the imperfect.

2) llevar + participle

It expresses a relationship with an earlier action, but this action has not yet been fully acheived. Examples: Llevo hecha gran parte de las fotocopias. Llevamos limpiadas unas habitaciones (I have done a lot of the photocopies. We have cleaned some rooms).

How is the difference between the periphrasis of "llevar" and "tener"? The ¨tener¨ informs us about an action that has been completely finished and that ¨llevar¨ says that an action has not yet been fully carried out. Examples:

• Tengo hechas las fotocopias (I have made the photocopies - all photocopies, and I do not have to photocopy anything else)
• Llevo hechas unas fotocopias (I have made some photocopies - I still have to photocopy something)

This periphrasis sometimes has a sense of ¨ir con¨, example: Lleva rota la cremallera del pantalón (It has a torn trouser zipper); sometimes ¨tener¨, example: Todos llevaban pintada la cara (Everyone had their faces painted). With the participle of "poner" and the noun related to clothing, example: Lleva puesto el vestido de color rojo (She is wearing the red dress).

3)Dejar + participle

It informs us about an earlier action, and the grammatical subject is the actor of this action. Examples: Los niños dejaron abierta la nevera. He dejado encendida la luz (Children left the fridge open. I left the light on)

We use it to express a mandate. Examples: Le dejé dicho que no saliera sola. Mi padre me ha dejado dicho que estudie más (I told you not to go out alone. My father has told me to study more).

4)Quedar + participle

This periphrasis has a passive meaning and can replace "ser + participle". Sus palabras quedaron grabadas en mi mente. La nevera quedó abierta (His words were engraved in my mind. The fridge was left open).

With the verbs that express feelings, it has a pronominal form "quedarse". Examples: Desupes de hablar con José me quedé asombrada (After talking to José, I was amazed).

5)Ir + participle

In this "ire" periphrasis, it retains its sense of movement. We can substitute it by "estar + participle". It usually speaks of moods and physical states. Examples: Siempre va vestida a la última moda. Ellos van enfadados con José (Always dressed in the latest fashion. They are angry with José)

It has passive character when it goes in third person plural and with the verb of cumulative character. Examples: Van vendidas cien entradas para la fiesta. Van aprobadas cinco resoluciones. (A hundred tickets for the party are sold. Five resolutions are approved).

6)dar por + participle

It is equivalent to "considerar". It is an action that has not really taken place, but the speaker refers to it as achieved. It is not used with all verbs.

We use it with the verbs ¨terminar¨, ¨morir¨, ¨explicar¨, ¨perder¨, ¨ganar and its synonyms that do not support any subordinate sentence. Examples: El profesor dio por explicado el tema. Los alumnos han dado por terminada la clase (The teacher explained the subject. The students have finished the class).

When we use it with the verbs ¨saber¨, ¨sentar¨, ¨suponer¨, ¨descontar¨ permits a subordinate sentence. Example: Demos por sentado que todos iréis a nuestra fiesta (Let's assume that everyone will go to our party)

It is used in the pronominal version "quedarse" with the verbs like "aludir", "enterar", "vencer", "good / bad pay". Examples: Como no me lo diga personalmente, no me doy por enterada. Hemos suspendido ese examen, pero no nos damos por vencidos (As you do not tell me personally, I do not take it for granted. We have suspended that test, but we do not give up).

7)Estar + participle

It is a durative periphrasis. Examples: Ya está preparada la cena. Luis está hecho un hombretón (Dinner is already prepared. Luis is a big man)

8)Andar + participle

It has a pejorative value. It is also used with the sense of imprecision. Examples: Anda muy preocupado por sus hijos. Anda despistado desde hace algún tiempo (He is very concerned about his children. He has been clueless for some time).

9)Seguir + participle

Express passive value and equivalent to "estar + todavía + participle". Examples: Sigue parado. Sus amigos siguen enfadados con Ana (He's still unemployed. His friends are still angry with Ana).

Next time I will put the periphrasis of gerund;)

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