infinitivesuffix

Infinitivesuffix is a term used in linguistics to describe a grammatical morpheme that marks a verb form as the infinitive by attaching a suffix to the verb stem. It is one way languages encode the non-finite, infinitival form of a verb, as opposed to using separate particles or other constructions.

In languages with a dedicated infinitive suffix, the suffix typically combines with the stem to produce a non-conjugated form that can function as a noun, a complement, or the base of subordinate clauses. Examples include Turkish -mek/-mak, Italian -are/-ere/-ire, Spanish -ar/-er/-ir, German -en, and Russian -ть. These endings are often productive and can vary by phonology or morphophonemic rules, producing forms such as yazmak (Turkish “to write”) or escribir (noted here as an infinitive ending in Spanish).

Differences across languages are common. Some languages rely on infinitive endings as the sole marker, while others pair suffixes with additional markers or entirely different devices. English, for instance, does not use a single infinitive suffix; it forms the infinitive with the particle to (to go) or uses bare infinitives after certain verbs; some older or more formal varieties may show nominal or verbal inflection in other ways.

Functionally, infinitive forms serve as the base for verb inflection in dependent clauses, verbal nouns, or complement constructions. They can participate in modality, aspect, or negation in some languages and may exhibit phonological or orthographic changes when combined with the stem.

Overall, infinitivesuffix reflects how languages encode the non-finite verb form, illustrating the diversity of grammatical strategies for marking infinitives across the world's languages.