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### Expressing "About To" with "Estar a punto de"

When you want to describe an action that is on the verge of happening, English uses the phrase "about to". In Spanish, we use the phrase **estar a punto de**.

To build this, just conjugate the verb **estar** for the subject, add **a punto de**, and follow it with an infinitive (the unconjugated action verb).

**estar** + **a punto de** + **infinitive**

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### Close Calls and Interruptions

This structure is incredibly useful for describing dramatic close calls, sudden warnings, or actions that are interrupted right before they happen.

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### Reflexive Verbs

When the imminent action uses a reflexive verb (like *desmayarse*, to faint), you can simply attach the reflexive pronoun to the end of the infinitive. Just make sure the pronoun matches the subject!

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Imminent actions (estar a punto de)

adjective

adverb

auxiliary verb

conjunction

determiner

expression

interjection

noun

numeral

prep

preposition

pronoun

sentence

verb

Subject pronouns and the verb to be (yo soy)

Noun gender and definite articles (el, la)

Basic sentences and negation (no)

Indefinite articles (un, una)

Formal and informal you (tú vs. usted)

Plural pronouns and the verb to be (somos, son)

Making nouns plural (-s, -es)

Plural articles (los, las, unos, unas)

Noun gender exceptions

Adjective agreement

Invariable adjectives

State and location (estar)

Ser vs. estar

There is / there are (hay)

Hay vs. estar

To have (tener)

Possession (de)

Possessive adjectives (mi, tu, su)

Regular -ar verbs

Yes/No questions

What and who (qué, quién)

Regular -er verbs

Regular -ir verbs

Asking where (dónde, adónde)

How, when, and why (cómo, cuándo, por qué)

How much and how many (cuánto)

Days of the week

Going to a place (ir a)

Preposition contractions (al, del)

In and by (en)

With me and with you (conmigo, contigo)

Prepositional pronouns (mí, ti)

Conjunctions (y, o, pero)

Giving reasons (porque)

Stem-changing verbs (e to ie)

Stem-changing verbs (o to ue)

Stem-changing verbs (e to i)

Irregular yo forms (hago, salgo)

To know (saber vs. conocer)

Weather expressions (hace, está)

Desires and plans (querer)

Ability and requests (poder)

Obligations (tener que)

Expressing likes (me gusta)

Plural likes (me gustan)

Verbs like gustar (encantar, doler)

Very vs. a lot (muy, mucho)

Numbers 0 to 15 (cero, uno, dos…)

Numbers 16 to 31 (dieciséis, veinte…)

Numbers 30 to 1000 (treinta, cien, mil)

Months of the year (enero, febrero, marzo)

Seasons and dates (el dos de mayo)

Telling time (es la..., son las...)

Ordinal numbers 1st to 10th (primero, segundo, tercero)

Reflexive pronouns and verbs (me, te, se, nos)

Direct object pronouns (lo, la, los, las)

The near future (ir a)

The present continuous (estar + -ando, -iendo)

Near demonstrative adjectives (este, esta, estos, estas)

Medium demonstrative adjectives (ese, esa, esos, esas)

Comparatives of inequality (más / menos ... que)

Comparatives of equality (tan ... como)

Indefinite and negative pronouns (algo, nada, alguien, nadie)

Affirmative commands

Far demonstratives (aquel, aquella)

Possessive pronouns (el mío, el tuyo)

Shortened indefinite adjectives (algún, ningún)

Adverbs of quantity (demasiado, bastante)

Adverbs of frequency (a menudo, a veces)

Adverb formation (-mente)

Exclamations (¡Qué...!)

Irregular comparatives (mejor, peor, mayor, menor)

Relative superlatives (el más... de)

Adjective intensification (-ísimo)

Indirect object pronouns

Pronoun placement with infinitives

Double object pronouns (me lo, te la)

The 'se lo' rule (se lo, se la)

Impersonal statements (se)

Impersonal obligation (hay que)

Personal obligation (deber)

Starting actions (empezar a)

Finishing and quitting actions (terminar de, dejar de)

Repeating actions (volver a)

Continuing actions (seguir + gerundio)

Question	Answer
to trip	tropezar
I am about to trip on this rock!	¡Estoy a punto de tropezar con esta roca!
the bomb	la bomba
to explode	explotar
This bomb is about to explode.	Esta bomba está a punto de explotar.
If you do not stop, this car is about to crash.	Si no paras, este carro está a punto de chocar.
I was going to sleep, but the baby is about to cry.	Yo iba a dormir, pero el bebé está a punto de llorar.
the speech	el discurso
The actor is about to begin the speech.	El actor está a punto de empezar el discurso.
If there is a problem, this plan is about to fail.	Si hay un problema, este plan está a punto de fallar.
to give up	rendirse
The team is about to give up because the project is very difficult.	El equipo está a punto de rendirse porque el proyecto es muy difícil.
to slip	resbalar
I am about to slip on the wet floor!	¡Estoy a punto de resbalar en el piso mojado!
to drown, to choke	ahogarse
The boy is about to choke on the meat.	El niño está a punto de ahogarse con la carne.
We were going to go out, but it is about to rain.	Nosotros íbamos a salir, pero está a punto de llover.
If you get close, this dog is about to bite.	Si te acercas, este perro está a punto de morder.
to collapse	derrumbarse
to sink	hundirse
The old building is about to collapse and sink into the mud.	El edificio viejo está a punto de derrumbarse y hundirse en el barro.
I am about to faint because it is very hot.	Estoy a punto de desmayarme porque hace mucho calor.
The train is about to leave and you are not ready.	El tren está a punto de salir y tú no estás listo.
The bomb is about to explode and the roof is about to collapse.	La bomba está a punto de explotar y el techo está a punto de derrumbarse.
The ship is about to sink and the tourist is about to drown.	El barco está a punto de hundirse y el turista está a punto de ahogarse.
The grandfather is about to trip and slip in the mud.	El abuelo está a punto de tropezar y resbalar en el barro.
the doorbell	el timbre
The leader is about to start the speech and the bell rings.	El líder está a punto de empezar el discurso y el timbre suena.
The student is about to give up, but the bell rings.	El estudiante está a punto de rendirse, pero el timbre suena.