Infinitives
The infinitive is the "to ..." form of a verb: "to love", "to see", "to be".
Can recognize Infinitives in a short Latin prompt
Look at these examples. Can you spot the grammar pattern?
Marcus reads.
Julia sees the tablet.
Pay attention to the highlighted parts. What do they have in common?
The infinitive is the "to ..." form of a verb: "to love", "to see", "to be". It names the action without pinning it to a person or time, so it has no personal ending. In Latin the present infinitive is easy to spot: it almost always ends in -re.
| Conjugation | Infinitive | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | amare | to love |
| 2nd | monere | to warn |
| 3rd | regere | to rule |
| 4th | audire | to hear |
The verb "to be" is irregular: esse = "to be". The infinitive most often follows another verb of wishing, being able, or ought:
- Ambulare volo. = I want to walk.
- Legere non possum. = I am not able to read.
- Puer discere debet. = The boy ought to learn.
For English speakers: English marks the infinitive with a separate little word, "to". Latin has no such word: the "to" is inside the -re ending. So do not scan for a preposition, and do not confuse this with the many Latin uses of the actual word ad ("to a place"). Two more cautions. First, a form like amare is not a command; the command (imperative) singular is ama! ("love!"). Second, the passive infinitive drops the -re for -ri (amari = "to be loved"), so keep an eye on that final letter. When you meet -re with no person attached, read "to ...".
Marcus reads.
Example for Infinitives.
Julia sees the tablet.
A short A1 sentence with visible endings.
Practice in course
Apply this grammar in A1 course exercises
Put it into practice
Try a free exercise from the courseFrequently asked questions
- When is Infinitives used?
- The infinitive is the "to ..." form of a verb: "to love", "to see", "to be". It names the action without pinning it to a person or time, so it has no personal ending. In Latin the present infinitive is easy to spot: it almost always ends in -re .
- How is Infinitives formed?
- The verb "to be" is irregular: esse = "to be". The infinitive most often follows another verb of wishing, being able, or ought: For English speakers: English marks the infinitive with a separate little word, "to". Latin has no such word: the "to" is inside the -re ending. So do not scan for a preposition, and do not confuse this with the many Latin uses of the actual word ad ("to a place"). Two more cautions. First, a form like amare is not a command; the command (imperative) singular is ama! ("love!"). Second, the passive infinitive drops the -re for -ri ( amari = "to be loved"), so keep an eye on that final letter. When you meet -re with no person attached, read "to ...".