infinitiive

Infinitiive is commonly a misspelling of infinitive, a term used in linguistics to describe a non-finite verb form that can express action in a general, non-conjugated way. The standard term is infinitive, derived from Latin infinitivus. In many languages, the infinitive functions as a base form used to build other expressions and does not indicate person, number, tense, or mood on its own.

In English, the infinitive is typically formed with to plus the base form of a verb, as in to go, to read, to be. There is also the bare infinitive, which follows certain verbs and operators without to, as in let go, help you, can run. Infinitives can function as nouns, adjectives, or adverbs, and they appear in a variety of constructions: to express purpose (I study to improve), as the subject or object of a sentence (To err is human), or in infinitival clauses after verbs of desire, necessity, or intention (I want to go). The to-infinitive and the bare infinitive can interact with modal verbs, causatives, and perception verbs in English.

Many languages have explicit infinitives marked by specific endings or particles. For example, Spanish uses endings like -ar, -er, -ir (hablar, comer, vivir) to form the infinitive; German uses the Infinitiv form, often with subordinate clauses or with zu in more complex constructions. Some languages lack a distinct infinitive form entirely and use other non-finite verb forms instead.

The topic also covers related phenomena such as split infinitives, where an adverb appears between to and the verb (to boldly go), a construction that has become widely accepted in modern usage.