French infinitive
- 1) When the verb is used as a noun, usually the same as the English gerund (-ing form used as a noun): Trouver un emploi n'est pas facile. Finding a job is not easy.
- 2) To summarise an action, without indicating time or tense: Payer 100 euros pour acheter un billet ? Tu blagues ! ...
- 3) For commands in contexts such as instructions and notices:
What does the infinitive mean in French?
The infinitive (l’infinitif, in French), together with the participles, is an unconjugated form of the verb ; that is, a form of the verb that does not contain time, number, or person markers. French infinitive verbs can end in -er parler (speak), -ir finir (end), -re prendre (take) or -oir voir (see)
What are some French verbs?
Verbs Like Prendre
- apprendre – to learn
- comprendre – to understand
- entreprendre – to undertake
- méprendre – to mistake
- prendre – to take
- reprendre – to retake, to take again
- surprendre – to surprise
What are irregular verbs in French?
What are the 4 irregular verbs in French?
- Être (To Be) One of the most basic and essential verbs there is, être is wholly irregular. ...
- Avoir (To Have) ...
- Aller (To Go) ...
- Faire (To Do) ...
- -Er Verbs with a “G” ...
- Accent Omission Verbs. ...
- Accent Addition Verbs. ...
- Keep the “Y” Verbs.
What are infinitives examples?
Some frequently seen infinitive verb examples are:
- To be
- To do
- To see
- To feel
- To eat
- To go
- To wear
- To sleep
What is l’infinitif in French?
L’infinitif (the infinitive) is the base form of the verb: it is a non-conjugated form that, like the participles, does not express a tense, person or number. The French infinitives can be grouped by their endings: -er (parler), -ir (finir), -re (prendre) or -oir (voir). In French there are several phrases, words and structures that are followed by the infinitive.
What is an infinitive verb?
L’infinitif is an impersonal verb form (like the gerund and the past participle) that is used after certain words and phrases. In addition to following a verb, the infinitive often follows the prepositions à and de.
What are past participles followed by in French?
Adjectives and past participles that act as adjectives are also followed by the infinitive in French.
What is an infinitive verb in French?
In French, infinitive verbs always end in either er, re, or ir. The infinitive form of a verb in French translates roughly as 'to + verb' in English. To take some examples from the above dialogue: jouer (zhoo-ay, to play) prendre (prahn-druh, to take/pick up/grab) finir (fee-neer, to finish) Lesson. Quiz.
Where do infinitives go in conjugated verbs?
Infinitives are often placed directly after a conjugated verb, similar to how one would use an infinitive in English. For instance, Elise told Victor: j'aime regarder les films (I like to watch movies), with regarder (ruh-gahr-day) being the infinitive. Here are some other examples of an infinitive following a verb:
What is the replacement for subjunctive tense?
As a Replacement for the Subjunctive Tense. Infinitive verbs are also used to replace the subjunctive verb tense, as long as one of two conditions are met: The main clause and the subordinate clause have the same subject.
When to use the infinitive "fail faire les devoirs"?
When there's an impersonal subject and the subject is implied. For example, you could use the infinitive to say il faut faire les devoirs (it's necessary to do your homework) instead of il faut que tu fasses les devoirs (it's necessary for you to do your homework).
What does "J'aime étudier le français" mean?
J'aime étudier le français. (I like to study French.)
Is "infinitive" a noun?
On rare occasions, an infinitive verb can also be a noun, as either the subject or object in a given sentence. For example: Apprendre le français est facile. (Learning French is easy.) Voir, c'est croire. (Seeing is believing.) Where to Put an Infinitive Verb.
Do negative adverbs go before the infinitive?
Negative adverbs go before the infinitive too. For instance, you may see ne pas fumer (no smoking) signs in France. When using both an object pronoun and a negative adverb, the negative adverb precedes both the pronoun and the infinitive, as in ne pas l'ouvrir (do not open it). Lesson Summary.
What is the past infinitive?
If you’re wanting to talk about an action that happens before the action that the main verb is describing, then you’ll be using the past infinitive. The past infinitive is formed in the following way: auxiliary verb ( être or avoir) + past participle.
Where do you find an infinitive?
However, in sentences where there are two verbs (but not in a row, of course!) the infinitive is placed after the main conjugated verb and after the eventual preposition following it. Example:
When to use subjunctive or infinitive?
When you want to express uncertainty or something subjective, then the subjunctive is your friend. Here are the two instances in which infinitives are used instead of the subjunctive. When the Main Clause and the Subordinate Clause of a sentence have the same subject. Example:
Where are the negative components placed in a sentence?
On another note, if there is negation in a sentence then the negative components are placed around the conjugated verb and come before an eventual preposition.
Is the French infinitive simple?
The French Infinitive isn’t quite as straightforward as some may think. We totally understand, and with that in mind we put together this super easy guide to help you out!
Is "infinitive" a noun?
Whether it’s playing the part of the subject or the object within a sentence, the infinitive can appear as a noun. If translated into English this noun form corresponds to the present participle.
Is the negation before the infinitive?
Note: In negative sentences, the negation is before the infinitive.
What is the infinitive in French?
French infinitive. The infinitive ( l'infinitif) is the basic form of a verb that you find when you look it up in a dictionary. It is a non-finite (or "in-finite", hence "infinitive") verb form, which means that it has no expressed or implied subject and shows no tense.
When is a French preposition followed by a verb?
When any French preposition (except en and après) is followed by a verb, that verb is in the infinitive. In English, prepositions except "to" take the -ing form of the verb. For example: Il faut manger avant d'étudier. You must eat before studying. Vous ne pouvez pas sortir sans manger. You can't go out without eating.
Is "do" an infinitive?
In English, "do" and "write" are infinitives, although we usually precede them with "to" (e.g., "to do", "to write") to make it clear that we are talking about the infinitive. Additionally, many constructions in English use the infinitive preceded by "to". For example:
When to use infinitives?
The infinitive is used after semi-auxiliary verbs, including in the causative and after requests:
What does the infinitive end in?
The French infinitive, which always ends in – er, – ir, or – re , serves as the name of any given verb. It’s what you look up in dictionaries and verb conjugation tables, so it’s important to learn the infinitive of every new verb you see or hear.
What is the order of words with the infinitive?
Word order. Word order with the infinitive is different—and much simpler—than with conjugated verbs: everything goes in front of the infinitive. The two parts of negative adverbs (e.g., ne and pas) stay together in front of the infinitive. Object, reflexive, and adverbial pronouns precede the infinitive.
When is an infinitive required?
1) When a preposition is used with no preceding verb, the infinitive is required:
Is "to" an impersonal verb?
Because the infinitive has no number or person marker, it’s known as an impersonal verb mood. French infinitives are generally equivalent to "to" + verb in English.
