Infinitivsuffiks

Infinitivsuffiks refers to suffixes added to verb stems to form the infinitive, the base form of a verb that is not conjugated. In many languages, the infinitive is used in constructions following modal verbs, after prepositions, or as a noun. The specific suffix varies greatly depending on the language family and individual language.

For example, in English, the infinitive is typically formed with the particle "to" preceding the verb stem, as in "to run," "to eat," or "to sleep." While "to" is often considered an infinitive marker rather than a true suffix, some linguistic analyses might categorize it as such in a broader sense of forming the infinitive.

In German, the infinitive is often marked by the suffix "-en," as seen in verbs like "laufen" (to run), "essen" (to eat), and "schlafen" (to sleep). Some verbs in German have an "-n" ending instead, such as "sein" (to be).

Romance languages also employ distinct infinitivsuffikse. Spanish, for instance, uses "-ar," "-er," and "-ir" to form infinitives, as in "hablar" (to speak), "comer" (to eat), and "vivir" (to live). Italian uses similar endings: "-are," "-ere," and "-ire."

Slavic languages also have their own characteristic infinitivsuffikse. For example, in Russian, the infinitive often ends in "-ть" or "-ти," such as in "читать" (chitat' - to read) and "идти" (idti - to go). The presence and form of the infinitivsuffiks are important grammatical features that distinguish the infinitive from other verb forms.