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A2.24 - Takeaway food

"Acabar de", "empezar a", "volver a" + infinitive

The periphrastic constructions "acabar de", "empezar a" and "volver a" are used to talk about different moments of an action.

What these periphrases do (the “helper verb” idea)

These are very common Spanish verb groups that work like a single verb.

  • You conjugate the first verb (acabar / empezar / volver).
  • The second verb stays in the infinitive (terminar, pedir, trabajar…).
  • The preposition is part of the structure: acabar de, empezar a, volver a.
Meaning Spanish structure English idea
Just happened (very recent) acabar de + infinitive have just…
Start doing something empezar a + infinitive start / begin to…
Do something again volver a + infinitive …again

1) “Acabar de + infinitive” = I have just…

  • Use it for an action that happened moments ago.
  • It often answers: “What did you just do?”
Correct Common mistakes to avoid
Acabo de terminar el informe. Acabo terminar el informe. (missing de)
Acabamos de llegar a casa. Acabo de llego a casa. (after de use infinitive: llegar)

Timing check: if it was earlier today but not “just now”, Spanish often prefers a normal past tense: Esta mañana terminé el informe.

2) “Empezar a + infinitive” = to start (doing)

  • Use it when the focus is the beginning of the action.
  • It’s useful for transitions: meetings, projects, meals, routines.
Correct Common mistakes to avoid
A las nueve, Ana empieza a trabajar. Empieza de trabajar. (wrong preposition: it’s a)
Después de la reunión, empiezo a llamar al cliente. Empiezo a llamo al cliente. (after a use infinitive: llamar)

3) “Volver a + infinitive” = to do again

  • Use it for a repeated action: again, one more time.
  • Often used when something didn’t work, or you repeat because you liked it.
Correct Common mistakes to avoid
Volví a pedir las croquetas. Volví pedir las croquetas. (missing a)
El móvil no funciona, así que lo vuelvo a encender. Lo vuelvo a enciendo. (after a use infinitive: encender)

How to build the sentence (fast, reliable steps)

  1. Choose the meaning: just happened / start / again.
  2. Conjugate acabar / empezar / volver in the tense you need.
  3. Add the fixed preposition: de or a.
  4. Finish with the infinitive (no person endings).
Model Example with “pedir”
Present Ahora acabo de pedir una tapa.
Past (completed) Ayer volví a pedir el menú del día.
Future / going to Después voy a empezar a probar las croquetas.

Self-check: 3 things that catch most learners

  • Preposition: acabar de, empezar a, volver a.
  • Infinitive after the preposition: de/a + pedir, comer, llamar (not pido, como, llamo).
  • Meaning first, tense second: you can put these in present, past, future—what changes is the conjugation of the first verb.

Quick test: If you can replace the whole group with “just”, “start”, or “again”, you’re using the right periphrasis.

  1. Use acabar de + infinitivo to express an action that has just been completed.
  2. Use empezar a to express the beginning of an action.
  3. Use volver a to indicate that an action is repeated.
FórmulaEjemplo
Acabar de + infinitivoAcabo de terminar de comer. (I’ve just finished eating.)
Empezar a + infinitivo¿Empiezas a pedir algo o esperas un poco más? (Are you going to start ordering something, or will you wait a bit longer?)
Volver a + infinitivoVolví a pedir las croquetas porque estaban deliciosas. (I ordered the croquettes again because they were delicious.)

Exercise 1: Multiple choice

Instruction: Choose the correct answer

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1. _____ pedir una ración de patatas bravas para llevar. Acabo de pedir una ración de patatas bravas para llevar.

_____ ordered a portion of patatas bravas to take away.

2. Si quieres, puedes _____ probar las croquetas mientras esperas. Si quieres, puedes empezar a probar las croquetas mientras esperas.

If you want, you can _____ trying the croquettes while you wait.

3. La tortilla estaba tan rica que _____ pedir otra tapa. La tortilla estaba tan rica que volví a pedir otra tapa.

The Spanish omelette was so tasty that I _____ order another tapa.

4. Cuando llegamos a casa, mi pareja _____ preparar la comida china. Cuando llegamos a casa, mi pareja empezó a preparar la comida china.

When we got home, my partner _____ preparing the Chinese food.

Exercise 2: Rewrite the phrases

Instruction: Rewrite the sentences using the indicated periphrasis (acabar de + infinitive, empezar a + infinitive or volver a + infinitive) to express: recent action, beginning or repetition.

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  1. (Acabar de) Termino el informe ahora mismo.
    ⇒ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ Example
    Acabo de terminar el informe.
    (I have just finished the report.)
  2. (Empezar a) A las nueve, Ana trabaja en el nuevo proyecto.
    ⇒ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ Example
    A las nueve, Ana empieza a trabajar en el nuevo proyecto.
    (At nine o’clock, Ana starts working on the new project.)
  3. (Volver a) Ayer pedí el menú del día otra vez, porque me gustó.
    ⇒ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ Example
    Ayer volví a pedir el menú del día porque me gustó.
    (Yesterday I ordered the daily menu again because I liked it.)
  4. (Acabar de) Llegamos a casa y cenamos. (acción muy reciente)
    ⇒ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ Example
    Acabamos de llegar a casa y ahora cenamos.
    (We have just gotten home and now we have dinner.)
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