DELE B2 Spanish Perífrasis Verbales: Practice Test & Review
Perífrasis verbales are verb phrases made of two verbs that work together as a single unit of meaning. Spanish uses them constantly — for obligation, probability, duration, repetition, and the beginning or end of an action. At B2, the exam tests both the forms and the subtle meaning differences between them.
This page gives you a five-part practice quiz: an evaluation set to see where you stand, three practice sets to drill the main types, and a challenge set to confirm mastery. The grammar review below covers the four main categories, the difference between deber and deber de, and the constructions that change meaning based on the preposition.
Perífrasis verbales appear in every B2 reading and listening passage that involves narration, obligation, or conjecture. Master the categories and you can handle any verb phrase the exam throws at you. Ready? Start with the evaluation set below.
Grammar Guide
The Rule
A perífrasis verbal is a verb phrase made of two verbs that function as a single unit of meaning. The first verb is conjugated and carries the grammatical information. The second verb is in the infinitive, the gerund, or the participle, and carries the main meaning. Perífrasis verbales add nuance that a single verb cannot express: obligation, probability, habit, duration, repetition, or the beginning and end of an action.
The Four Main Categories
| Category | Function | Common perífrasis |
|---|---|---|
| Obligation | Expresses what must be done | deber + infinitive, tener que + infinitive, hay que + infinitive |
| Probability | Expresses conjecture | deber de + infinitive |
| Habit and repetition | Expresses what usually happens or happens again | soler + infinitive, volver a + infinitive |
| Aspect | Expresses duration, beginning, or end | estar + gerundio, llevar + gerundio, ponerse a + infinitive, acabar de + infinitive |
Obligation — Deber, Tener Que, Hay Que
The three main obligation perífrasis differ in nuance.
| Perífrasis | Meaning | Example | Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deber + infinitive | Moral obligation, strong | Debo estudiar. | I must study. |
| Tener que + infinitive | Personal obligation, practical | Tengo que estudiar. | I have to study. |
| Hay que + infinitive | General, impersonal obligation | Hay que estudiar. | One has to study. |
Deber is more formal and moral. Tener que is more practical and personal. Hay que is impersonal — it applies to everyone, not to a specific person.
Probability — Deber De
Deber de plus infinitive expresses probability or conjecture. It is not the same as deber plus infinitive.
| Perífrasis | Meaning | Example | Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deber + infinitive | Obligation | Debe estudiar. | He must study. |
| Deber de + infinitive | Probability | Debe de estudiar. | He’s probably studying. |
The de is the difference. Deber plus infinitive says what someone must do. Deber de plus infinitive says what is probably happening.
Habit — Soler
Soler plus infinitive expresses habitual action. It is equivalent to “usually” in English.
| Example | Translation |
|---|---|
| Suelo ir al gimnasio los lunes. | I usually go to the gym on Mondays. |
| Suele comer a las dos. | He usually eats at two. |
| Solemos trabajar los sábados. | We usually work on Saturdays. |
Soler is not used in the preterite. For past habits, Spanish uses the imperfect of the main verb instead: Iba al gimnasio los lunes.
Repetition — Volver A
Volver a plus infinitive expresses repetition. It is equivalent to “again” in English.
| Example | Translation |
|---|---|
| Vuelvo a leer el libro. | I read the book again. |
| Vuelves a llamar más tarde. | You call again later. |
| Volvemos a ver esa película. | We watch that film again. |
Aspect — Duration, Beginning, End
Aspect perífrasis express how an action unfolds in time.
| Perífrasis | Meaning | Example | Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Estar + gerundio | Ongoing action | Estoy estudiando. | I’m studying. |
| Llevar + gerundio | Duration up to now | Llevo estudiando dos horas. | I’ve been studying for two hours. |
| Seguir + gerundio | Continuation | Sigo estudiando. | I’m still studying. |
| Ponerse a + infinitive | Beginning | Me puse a estudiar. | I started studying. |
| Empezar a + infinitive | Beginning | Empecé a estudiar. | I started studying. |
| Acabar de + infinitive | Recent past | Acabo de estudiar. | I’ve just studied. |
| Terminar de + infinitive | End | Terminé de estudiar. | I finished studying. |
The Preposition Matters
In many perífrasis, the preposition changes the meaning or is required.
| Perífrasis | Preposition | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Deber + infinitive | None | Obligation |
| Deber de + infinitive | de | Probability |
| Ponerse a + infinitive | a | Beginning |
| Volver a + infinitive | a | Repetition |
| Acabar de + infinitive | de | Recent past |
| Terminar de + infinitive | de | End |
| Llevar + gerundio | None | Duration |
| Seguir + gerundio | None | Continuation |
The preposition is not optional. Deber and deber de are different perífrasis.
Fixed Expressions
| Expression | Meaning | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Deber de + infinitive | Probably | Probability |
| Deber + infinitive | Must | Obligation |
| Acabar de + infinitive | To have just | Recent past |
| Volver a + infinitive | To do again | Repetition |
| Ponerse a + infinitive | To start | Beginning |
| Llevar + gerundio | To have been doing | Duration |
| Soler + infinitive | To usually | Habit |
Common Mistakes
Confusing deber and deber de.
Incorrect: Debe de estudiar para aprobar. (if the meaning is obligation)
Correct: Debe estudiar para aprobar.
Deber de expresses probability, not obligation.
Using soler in the preterite.
Incorrect: Solí ir al gimnasio.
Correct: Iba al gimnasio.
Soler is not used in the preterite. Use the imperfect of the main verb.
Omitting the preposition.
Incorrect: Voy a leer el libro otra vez. (if using volver a)
Correct: Vuelvo a leer el libro.
Volver a requires the preposition a.
Using estar with an infinitive for ongoing action.
Incorrect: Estoy estudiar.
Correct: Estoy estudiando.
Estar takes the gerundio, not the infinitive.
Quick Decision Chart
| Ask yourself | Answer | Perífrasis |
|---|---|---|
| Is this an obligation? | Yes | Deber / tener que / hay que + infinitive |
| Is this a probability? | Yes | Deber de + infinitive |
| Is this a habit? | Yes | Soler + infinitive |
| Is this a repetition? | Yes | Volver a + infinitive |
| Is this ongoing? | Yes | Estar + gerundio |
| Is this duration up to now? | Yes | Llevar + gerundio |
| Is this the beginning of an action? | Yes | Ponerse a / empezar a + infinitive |
| Is this the recent past? | Yes | Acabar de + infinitive |
Two Sentences That Show the Difference
Debe estudiar.
He must study.
Deber + infinitive: obligation.
Debe de estudiar.
He’s probably studying.
Deber de + infinitive: probability.
Suelo ir al gimnasio.
I usually go to the gym.
Soler + infinitive: habit.
Vuelvo a ir al gimnasio.
I go to the gym again.
Volver a + infinitive: repetition.
Llevo estudiando dos horas.
I’ve been studying for two hours.
Llevar + gerundio: duration up to now.
Acabo de estudiar.
I’ve just studied.
Acabar de + infinitive: recent past.
