infinitivni

Infinitivni is an adjective used in the grammar of several South Slavic languages to denote something related to the infinitive. The infinitive, or infinitiv, is the non-finite verb form that names an action without indicating a subject or tense. In these languages, infinitivni oblik refers to the infinitive form of a verb, for example the equivalent of “to write” or “to read” in the respective language.

In usage, the infinitive often functions as a base form for dictionaries, as the complement of certain verbs, or as a verbal noun in constructions that express purpose, intention, or general action. It can be used with auxiliary verbs to form periphrastic tenses or other non-finite constructions, and it frequently appears in noun-like phrases such as infinitivni oblik glagola (infinitive form of the verb) or infinitivni način glagola (infinitive mood).

Morphologically, infinitivni operates as an adjective that agrees with gender, number, and case in noun phrases describing the infinitive. This makes it a common labeling term in grammars and grammars’ tables, where phrases like infinitivni oblik, infinitivni oblik glagola, or infinitivni način are used to categorize and describe grammatical phenomena related to the infinitive.

The term is mainly found in linguistic descriptions and grammar reference works for languages such as Croatian, Serbian, Bosnian, and Slovenian. It is less a feature of everyday speech than a technical descriptor used to discuss the infinitive and its formal and functional properties within a language.