Two verbs together
To say what you want, can, prefer or know how to do, put a conjugated verb first and the second verb in the infinitive (the -ar / -er / -ir form). Only the first verb changes for the person.
| I want to eat now. | Quiero comer ahora. |
| Can you come tomorrow? | ¿Puedes venir mañana? |
| first verb | + infinitive | meaning |
|---|---|---|
| querer | quiero comer | I want to eat |
| poder | puedes venir | you can come |
| preferir | prefiero estudiar | I prefer to study |
| saber | sé leer | I know how to read |
Nothing goes between the two verbs — no to, no que: quiero comer, never quiero a comer.
Saber: knowing how
Saber + infinitive is to know how to do something — a skill you have. Poder is whether you can right now. So you can know how to do something and still not be able to:
| I know how to speak English. | Sé hablar inglés. |
| I know how to read, but today I can't: I am tired. | Sé leer, pero hoy no puedo: estoy cansado. |
Negatives and questions
No goes in front of the first verb, and a question just changes the tone:
| I can't sleep. | No puedo dormir. |
| Can you read in Spanish? | ¿Sabes leer en español? |
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