Finitiven

Finitiven is a term used in linguistics, especially in German-language grammar, to refer to finite verb forms. These forms are inflected for tense, mood, person, and number, and they can anchor a clause as finite. The plural usage of the term in German-language grammars is finitiven, referring to multiple finite forms across verbs. By contrast, non-finite forms such as the infinitive or participles do not carry full tense or subject agreement and cannot alone serve as the predicate of a finite clause.

Finitive forms are the forms that mark time and agreement within a clause. They enable the clause to express its relation to time (past, present, future) and to align with the subject in person and number. In most languages, the finite verb is the central part of a predicate in main clauses, and it often also participates in subordinate clauses, though the exact syntax varies by language.

Examples help illustrate the distinction. In English, finite forms include walks (present, third person singular), walked (simple past), is walking (present progressive with a finite auxiliary), while to walk is an infinitive and walking is a participle (non-finite). In German, finite verbs such as geht (goes) or ging (went) show person and tense and typically appear in main clauses, while infinitive gehen is non-finite and used in other constructions.

Across languages, finiteness is a key parameter in clause structure and verb conjugation, influencing agreement, tense marking, and clause types.