Catalan B2: Verb phrases: acabar de, tornar a, haver de… · Words

Catalan packs a lot into verb + infinitive or gerund. acabar de: to have just (Acabo d’arribar). tornar a: to do again (Va tornar a trucar). deixar de: to stop (Vaig deixar de fumar). estar a punt de: to be about to. haver de: to have to (He de marxar). fer + time + que: to have been doing (Fa dos anys que estudio xinès). continuar + gerund: to keep doing (Continua plovent).

• acabar de — to have just
• tornar a — to do again
• deixar de — to stop (doing)
• estar a punt de — to be about to
• fa … anys que — for … years (it has been)
• continuar — to keep (doing), to continue
• posar-se a — to start (suddenly)
• haver de — to have to

• Acabo d’arribar a casa. — I’ve just got home.
• Fa una hora que t’espero. — I’ve been waiting for you for an hour.
• Érem a punt de sortir. — We were about to leave.
• No ho tornis a fer. — Don’t do it again.