infinitif

Infinitif, or l’infinitif in French grammar, is the base non-conjugated form of a verb. It denotes an action without specifying person, number, or time, and is often used as a dictionary form or to name actions in a general sense. In French, the infinitif is called l’infinitif and exists primarily in two forms: the present infinitive and the past infinitive.

The present infinitive corresponds to the verb’s unconjugated stem: parler, finir, vendre. Most French verbs end in -er, -ir, or -re; some are irregular (aller, être, avoir). The present infinitive is used as a noun, as the complement of certain verbs and prepositions, and after auxiliary or modal-like verbs to form compound tenses: Je dois partir; Il peut venir. It can also function as the subject or object of a sentence: Partir est difficile; J’aime lire.

The past infinitive is formed with the corresponding auxiliary in the infinitive plus the past participle: avoir mangé, être allé. It expresses an action completed before the action of the main verb and is typically found in formal writing and in certain constructions (Après avoir mangé, il est parti). In everyday speech, the past infinitive is less frequent but remains standard in specific subordinate clauses or after prepositions requiring an infinitive.

Across languages, the infinitive designates a non-finite verb form, often equivalent to to + verb in English or the base form in Romance languages. The core function is to express actions without tying them to a particular subject or tense, linking with prepositions, auxiliaries, or other verbs to form more complex meanings.