Spanish flag

Why Spanish says 'la decisión de' where English says 'the decision to'

In English you can put a 'to' infinitive straight after many nouns: the decision to leave, a plan to travel, the hope to find work. Spanish does not allow this. When an infinitive tells you what the decision, plan or hope is, Spanish needs the little word de in between: la decisión de salir, el plan de viajar, la esperanza de encontrar trabajo.

English speakers tend to drop the linker completely (la decisión salir) or reach for a because it feels like English 'to' (la decisión a salir). Both are wrong. With nouns like intención, deseo, promesa and objetivo, the answer is almost always de.

Word list
tiempomA1 time no tengo tiempo de leer = I have no time to read (para also works) esperanzafA2 hope la esperanza de encontrar trabajo = the hope of finding work formafA2 way la forma de hacerlo = the way to do it ideafA2 idea la idea de mudarse = the idea of moving manerafA2 way la mejor manera de aprender = the best way to learn modomA2 way el modo de usarlo = the way to use it planmA2 plan el plan de abrir una tienda = the plan to open a shop sueñomA2 dream el sueño de ser actor = the dream of becoming an actor ambiciónfB1 ambition la ambición de ganar = the ambition to win corajemB1 courage el coraje de decir la verdad = the courage to tell the truth debermB1 duty el deber de votar = the duty to vote decisiónfB1 decision la decisión de marcharse = the decision to leave finmB1 aim con el fin de mejorar = in order to improve metafB1 aim la meta de terminar este año = the goal of finishing this year objetivomB1 aim el objetivo de reducir los gastos = the goal of cutting costs obligaciónfB1 duty la obligación de pagar = the obligation to pay ocasiónfB1 opportunity la ocasión de conocerla = the opportunity to meet her oportunidadfB1 opportunity la oportunidad de viajar = the opportunity to travel podermB1 power el poder de decidir = the power to decide posibilidadfB1 possibility la posibilidad de elegir = the possibility of choosing promesafB1 promise la promesa de regresar = the promise to come back proyectomB1 project el proyecto de construir una escuela = the project to build a school valentíafB1 courage la valentía de denunciarlo = the bravery to report it valormB1 courage tener el valor de decirlo = to have the courage to say it amenazafB2 threat la amenaza de dimitir = the threat to resign deseomB2 wish el deseo de aprender = the desire to learn determinaciónfB2 determination la determinación de seguir = the determination to carry on expectativafB2 expectation la expectativa de ganar = the expectation of winning intenciónfB2 intention la intención de volver = the intention to return intentomB2 attempt un intento de escapar = an attempt to escape libertadfB2 freedom la libertad de elegir = the freedom to choose pretextomB2 excuse con el pretexto de ayudar = on the pretext of helping resoluciónfB2 determination la resolución de cambiar = the determination to change responsabilidadfB2 responsibility la responsabilidad de cuidar = the responsibility to look after tener la intenciónB2 to intend tener la intención de volver = to intend to return voluntadfB2 willingness la voluntad de ayudar = the willingness to help necesidadfC1 necessity la necesidad de descansar = the need to rest voluntadfC1 will la voluntad de colaborar = the will to cooperate
How it works

The pattern is simple: noun + de + infinitive. The infinitive fills in the content of the noun. Ask yourself: is this the decision, wish or plan itself? If yes, use de.

English hides the linker inside 'to', or uses 'of' with an -ing form (the idea of moving). Spanish always uses de plus the plain infinitive, never a gerund: la idea de mudarse, not la idea de mudándose.

Tomó la decisión de estudiar medicina.
(She made the decision to study medicine.)

The same goes for the very common phrase tener la intención de, which is how Spanish says 'to intend to'.

Tenemos la intención de volver el próximo año.
(We intend to return next year.)
The words
Plans and decisions

Plan, proyecto, decisión, intención, idea and promesa all describe something you have decided or intend to do. A similar word, propósito, works the same way.

Tienen el plan de abrir una tienda en el centro.
(They have a plan to open a shop in the town centre.)
No me gusta la idea de mudarnos otra vez.
(I don't like the idea of moving again.)
Cumplió la promesa de regresar antes de Navidad.
(He kept his promise to come back before Christmas.)
Goals

Objetivo, meta and fin name what you are aiming at. Fin appears mostly in the fixed phrase con el fin de, 'in order to'.

Nuestro objetivo de reducir los gastos parece difícil.
(Our goal of cutting costs looks difficult.)
Hablo con nativos con el fin de mejorar mi español.
(I talk to native speakers in order to improve my Spanish.)
Wishes, hopes and dreams

Deseo, esperanza, sueño and ambición express what someone wants.

Su sueño de ser actriz se hizo realidad.
(Her dream of becoming an actress came true.)
Todavía tengo la esperanza de encontrar trabajo aquí.
(I still have hope of finding work here.)
Will and effort

Voluntad, determinación, resolución and intento describe the will or the effort to do something.

Hizo un intento de escapar, pero lo vieron.
(He made an attempt to escape, but they saw him.)
Mostró una gran voluntad de ayudar.
(She showed a real willingness to help.)
Chances and duties

Oportunidad, ocasión, posibilidad, necesidad, obligación and responsabilidad also take de.

Tuve la oportunidad de viajar a México.
(I had the opportunity to travel to Mexico.)
Tenemos la obligación de pagar antes del viernes.
(We have an obligation to pay before Friday.)
Watch out

The typical mistake is a: la decisión a salir sounds wrong to native speakers. Save a for the few nouns that really take it, such as el derecho a ('the right to') and la disposición a ('readiness to'). A couple of others prefer para: permiso para ('permission to') and razón para ('reason to').

Be careful with de and para after plan or proyecto. Un plan de escapar says what the plan is: the plan consists of escaping. Un plan para escapar says what the plan is for: a plan designed to help you escape. Both exist, but for the content itself, use de.

When the person doing the action is different from the person who has the wish or hope, Spanish switches to de que plus the subjunctive: tengo la esperanza de que vuelvas ('I hope you come back').

Summary

When an infinitive tells you what a decision, plan, wish, goal or chance consists of, link it with de: la decisión de salir, el deseo de aprender, la oportunidad de viajar. Never leave the linker out, and do not translate English 'to' as a.