We explain what the verbal infinitive is in grammar, its forms and types. We also explain its use as an imperative and the periphrases of the infinitive. Please read other MTV articles for more information. If you share it, it will be of little help to us.
What is the verbal infinitive?
In grammar, the infinitive is one of the non-personal forms of the verb, along with the participle and the gerund. Morphologically, it is characterized by the ending -r after the thematic vowel: am-a-r, tem-e-r, part-i-r. This is the form in which verbs appear in the dictionary.
As a non-personal form of the verb, the infinitive does not express the grammatical categories of person, number, tense, and mood characteristic of conjugated verb forms. It presents the action in a general way, without referring it to a specific moment.
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Depending on how they are constructed, infinitives can be verbal in some contexts or nominal in others. For example, in the sentence “Enrique wanted to sell the car,” the word “sell” behaves like a verb, since it is accompanied by a direct object (the car); however, in the expression “the coming and going of the people,” the words “ir” and “viene” behave like nouns, since they are accompanied by a nominal modifier (el) and a nominal complement (de la gente).
Infinitive Forms
The infinitive has two forms:
- Simple infinitive. It is constructed with the thematic vowel (-a-, -e-, -i-) followed by the ending -r. For example: “walk,” “want,” “lie.”
- Compound infinitive. It is constructed with the auxiliary verb “haber” (to have) and the participle of the main verb: “haber caminado” (to have walked), “haber querido” (to have wanted), “haber mentido” (to have lied). The compound infinitive has the meaning of anteriority with respect to a given time. For example, in “Me arrepiento de haber mentido” (I regret having lied), the action of lying comes before the action of repenting.
The simple infinitive can alternate with the compound infinitive in cases where it is part of expressions with retrospective meanings. For example: “After leaving home I remembered that today was the meeting.” / “After leaving home I remembered that today was the meeting.”
“Thank you for coming home.” / “Thank you for coming home.”
Types of Infinitives
Depending on how they are constructed (i.e., how they are used), infinitives can be of two types:
VERBAL INFINITIVES
They are constructed with the complements of a verb; in certain cases, they have an explicit subject. Some examples are the following (objects are underlined):
- With direct object: I always wanted to have a dog.
- With indirect object: Giving Miguel a book is a good idea.
- With regimental object: I wanted to trust him, but I wasn’t sure.
- With circumstantial object: I would love to go to Alaska.
- With subject: When Grandpa died, the house was sold.
NOMINAL INFINITIVES
They are similar to a noun and can have modifiers and nominal object. They are divided into two types:
- Lexical infinitives. Also called false infinitives, they behave like full nouns, which is why they appear in dictionaries as such. They can be plural. For example: the sunsets of Paris. This group includes, among others, dawn, sunset, dusk, walk, sing, want, and be able to (when used as nouns).
- Syntactic infinitives. They do not form plurals. They are constructed as noun phrases. For example: The slow passing of the hours, where the infinitive transpir (pass) is accompanied by the modifier “el” (the) and the complement “las horas” (the hours).
Noun infinitives can perform the syntactic functions of nouns. For example:
- Subject: Saying goodbye is difficult.
- Direct object: Ana prefers to sleep.
- Complement of regime: He gave up competing.
- Adjunct complement: He said it without thinking.
- Complement of a noun: The freedom to love.
- Complement of an adjective: Eager to travel.
- Complement of an adverb: After coming.
It should be remembered that the characterization of an infinitive as verbal or nominal depends on the context, and not on the infinitive itself. This means that the same infinitive can belong to both types. For example, in “No paradó de hablar en todo la noche” (He did not stop talking all night), the infinitive hablar (speak) behaves like a verb; However, in He finds it difficult to speak, it behaves like a noun.
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Infinitive and Imperative
In some areas, it is relatively common to use the infinitive as an imperative. For example: Give him what he asks for, instead of Give him what he asks for; Don’t touch this subject now, instead of Let’s not touch (or touch) this subject now. In general, it is recommended to avoid using the infinitive as an imperative, which is typical of colloquial speech, in formal registers, except in the following cases:
- Signs and labels: Do not touch, No smoking, Knock before entering, In case of fire, use the stairs.
- Instructional texts: Add salt to taste, Shake well before use, Analyze the following sentences syntactically.
Infinitive periphrases
Many infinitives are part of verbal periphrases, that is, combinations of two verbs that form a single predicate. One of the verbs, called the auxiliary verb, appears in a non-personal form (infinitive, gerund, or participle), while the other, the auxiliary verb, may or may not be conjugated. Examples of verb periphrases are: deben saber, empieza a caminar, tener que decir.
Infinitive periphrases can be of two types:
MODAL PERIPHRASES
They express some attitude of the speaker (obligation, necessity, possibility). The following periphrases belong to this group:
With the meaning of obligation:
- haber de + infinitive: They have to make more of an effort.
- haber que + infinitive: You have to tell things as they are.
- deber + infinitive: He must keep his promise.
- tener que + infinitive: I have to see the doctor.
With the meaning of possibility:
- deber de + infinitive: Debaían de ser relatives. (However, deber + infinitive is often used with this same meaning: They must be relatives.)
- poder + infinitive: We can travel today or tomorrow.
- tener que + infinitive: He must be sick, otherwise he would have come.
With the meaning of ability or permission:
- poder + infinitive: He can play Beethoven’s sonatas. They can come into the living room.
TEMPO-SPECTUAL PERIPHRASES
They express some characteristic referring to the beginning, development, or end of an action. The following periphrases belong to this group:
Referring to the beginning of an action:
- ir a + infinitive: I’m going to eat.
- empezar a + infinitive: The audience began to protest.
- estar por + infinitive: The train is about to arrive.
- estar a punto de + infinitive: The performance is about to begin.
- pone a + infinitive: Let’s start studying.
With reference to the development of an action:
- to use to + infinitive: Andrés used to train on Saturdays.
- to return to + infinitive: Last year we visited Madrid again.
- to get used to + infinitive: My sister can’t get used to life abroad.
With reference to the completion of an action:
- to finish + infinitive: They just finished the house.
- to stop + infinitive: Tomorrow I’ll quit smoking.
- to arrive at + infinitive: If he perseveres, he could become a good engineer.
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Sentences with infinitive verbs
- María and Victoria are learning to knit.
- Eating well and washing your hands will prevent you from getting sick.
- Not everyone can join the project.
- Why don’t you want to go home?
- How long are you going to eat, boy?
- Courting the female in the right way will allow the male to reproduce.
- After sleeping for so long, you should be
- Go to sleep, it’s already ten o’clock!
- After taking that potion, our heroes felt like they were about to die.
- Following me everywhere won’t change my mind.
- To love again, I wish I could!
- Have you thought about where we’re going to put the fish tank?
References
All the information we offer is backed by authorized and up-to-date bibliographic sources, which ensure reliable content in line with our editorial principles.
- Royal Spanish Academy, New Basic Grammar, Buenos Aires, 2011.
- Gómez Torrego, Leonardo, Didactical Grammar of Spanish, Madrid, 2002.
- Infinitive, in wikilengua.org
- Infinitive, in Dictionary of the Language of the Royal Spanish Academy. dle.rae.es
- Infinitive – What it is, forms of use, types, and examples – concepto.de
