Modern Spanish Grammar: A Practical Guide

But:

Decidimos que María nos comprara dos kilos.

We decided that María should buy two kilos for us. (=We decided that

María should buy two kilos)

^18 (p. 83)

However, verbs of ordering and verbs of perception allow infinitive object complement

constructions in which the subject of the main verb and the implied subject of the

infinitive are not the same.

(a) Verbs of ordering

dejar: Dejé salir a los niños.

I let the children go out. (=I let; the children went out)

hacer: Le hice callar.

I made him/her be quiet.

impedir: Impedimos escaparse a los delincuentes.

We stopped the criminals escaping.

mandar: El presidente mandó construir una nueva residencia.

(construir corresponds to the English passive ‘to be built’)

The president ordered a new residence to be built.

permitir: ¿Me permites salir?

Will you let me go out?

prohibir: Me prohibieron revelar el secreto.

They stopped me revealing the secret.

(b) Verbs of perception

ver: Vimos llegar a la Reina.

We saw the Queen arrive. (=We saw; the Queen arrived)

oir: Oímos chillar a los niños.

We heard the children shrieking.

NOTE Verbs of perception also take gerund complements (see 26.3).

26.2.2.2 Witha
Verbs in this category include a number of verbs of beginning and verbs of motion, as
well as several reflexive verbs. Examples are:

apresurarse: Se apresuraron a terminar el trabajo.

They hurried to finish the work.

aprender: Los niños aprenden a bailar.

The children are learning to dance.

atreverse: ¿Te atreverías a decírselo?

Would you dare to tell him/her?

COMPLEMENTATION 26.2