French Infinitive Linfinitif

The infinitive is the basic, unconjugated form of a verb, sometimes called the name of the verb. In English, the infinitive is the word to followed by a verb: to talk, to see, to return. The French infinitive is a single word with one of the following endings: -er, -ir, or -re: parler, voir, rendre. We usually learn French verbs in the infinitive, since that is what you start with to conjugate them. The French infinitive can be used in several different ways without any conjugation. Note that it is often translated as the English present participle. Read on to learn different uses of the infinitive of verbs. As a Noun (the Subject or Object of a Sentence) Voir, cest croire. – Seeing is believing.Apprendre le japonais nest pas facile. – Learning Japanese isnt easy. After a Preposition Il essaie de te parler. – He is trying to talk to you.Cest difficile à   croire. – Its hard to believe.Sans à ªtre indiscret... – Without meaning to pry... See Verbs With Prepositions. After a Conjugated Verb Jaime danser. – I like to dance.Nous voulons manger. – We want to eat.Je fais laver la voiture (causative) – Im having the car washed. See the Lesson on Dual-Verb Constructions. In Place of the Imperative for Impersonal Commands (As in Instructions or Warnings) Mettre toujours la ceinture de sà ©curità ©. – Always wear (your) seatbelt.Ajouter les oignons à   la sauce. – Add the onions to the sauce. In Place of the Subjunctive When the Main Clause Has the Same Subject as the Subordinate Clause Jai peur que je ne rà ©ussisse pas OR Jai peur de ne pas rà ©ussir. –  Im afraid of not succeeding.Il est content quil le fasse. OR Il est content de le faire. – Hes happy to be doing it. When the Main Clause Has an Impersonal Subject (If the Subject Is Implied) Il faut que vous travailliez. OR Il faut travailler. – Its necessary to work (for you to work).Il est bon que tu y ailles. OR Il est bon dy aller. – Its good to go (for you to go). Word Order With the Infinitive Word order with the infinitive is a bit different from conjugated verbs: everything goes directly in front of the infinitive. Pronouns Object pronouns,  reflexive pronouns,  and  adverbial  pronouns  always precede the infinitive. Tu  dois  y  aller. – You have to go (there).Fermer  la fenà ªtre OR La  fermer. –  Close the window OR Close it.Il  faut  te  lever. – You must get up. Negative Adverbs Both parts of the  negative adverb  precede the infinitive. Ne pas  ouvrir  la fenà ªtre. –  Dont open the window.Ne  jamais  laisser  un  enfant  seul. – Never leave  child  unattended. The negative adverb precedes any pronouns: Ne pas  louvrir. – Dont open it.Ne  jamais  le  laisser  seul. –  Never leave him unattended.