Before beginning to analyze the meaning of the term in question, we must proceed to determine its etymological origin. In this case, we can say that it is the result of the sum of two clearly differentiated elements:
-The Latin term “verbum” which can be translated as “word”.
-The “-oid” component, of Greek origin and which means “image” or “appearance”.
Verboid is not a term that is part of the dictionary of the Royal Spanish Academy (RAE). The notion, however, is used to name words that look like verbs, but act syntactically differently. In other words: a verb is a verb that takes an impersonal form. Since verbs are not conjugated in the first, second, or third person, they are not verbs, but a different type of word. Verboids can be infinitives, gerunds, or participles.
In the case of infinitive verbs, they end in “ar”, “er” or “go” and act as the subject (noun) in the sentence. Let’s see an example. In the expression “opening doors is more difficult than closing them”, the verb is “is”. As can be seen, “open” does not act as a verb, but is the core of the subject, which is formed together with the direct object “doors”. The subject of the sentence, therefore, is “open doors”. Gerund verbs that end in “ando” or “endo” function as adverbs. For example: “Remembering that the road is icy, we put chains on the wheels.” The verb is “install”, while “remember” allows the development of a circumstantial construction. The verbs of the participle finally end in “ado” or “gone”. They act as adjectives and can be given verbal modifiers: “Ricardo will be hit, but Juan will be destroyed. In this expression, “hit” and “destroyed” are adjective forms of “hit” and “destroy.” Many other examples of verbs that exist and that we can usually find in numerous sentences are the following:
-Verbs in the infinitive are call, eat, give birth, smell, take, leave, give birth and love.
-Verboids in the compound infinitive are examples such as having loved, having slept, having feared and having eaten.
-Verboids in participle or passive participle are some like loved, feared, born, broken, printed, said, born, wounded, put, done…
-Verboids in simple gerund are also many and varied. Specifically, among the most significant examples that exist we find the following: play, desire, love, part, dream, fear, sleep…
– Likewise, we cannot forget that there are many verbs in compound gerunds. Among the most used are some such as fear, eat, dine, run, have loved, have left…
Based on the above, we can find verbs in sentences like these:
-The missing boy was happily found by the police.
– When the dog died, the anger left.
-You have to prepare dinner so we can all enjoy the night.
– Love between people of the same sex is not a crime. Ultimately, we can say that verboids are impersonal forms of verbs that act as nouns, adverbs or adjectives and have no action value.
