ARE: Lesson - Introduction to the Infinitive

The image shows a statue bust of the historian Seneca.Introduction to the Infinitive

Timendi causa est nescire.
Being afraid is the result of ignorance.
Seneca, Natural Questions

As we have learned about the forms of verbs, there has been one form that we have seen over and over again but have not yet explored in depth. That form is the present active infinitive. So far, it has been used as the 2nd Principal Part of our verb entry:

amo, amare, amavi, amatus - to love

The form of the verb that ends with -re is the present active infinitive. The portrait bust in the image depicts the Roman philosopher Seneca. In his quote, nescire is an infinitive form.

Definition

The infinitive is a verbal noun. This means that it acts in some ways like a verb and in some ways like a noun. Let's explore this by exploring how it is used as each part of speech:

The Infinitive: Both a Noun and A Verb

Ways an Infinitive Acts Like a Verb

Ways an Infinitive Acts Like a Noun
  • Infinitives show tense:
    • present tense
  • Infinitives have voice:
    • active
  • Infinitives can be governed by a subject
  • Infinitives can take a direct object
  • Infinitives have:
    • case: nominative and accusative
    • gender: neuter.
    • Note: there is only one form of the present active infinitive. Remember that nominative and accusative forms are identical for neuter nouns, so the fact that infinitives are neuter means that the nominative and accusative use the same ending: -re.
  • Infinitives can be:
    • the subject: nominative case
    • the direct object: accusative case

Translation

The translation of the infinitive is quite straight forward:

  • to + verb

Infinitives can also be translated with -ing - most often when the infinitive is acting as the subject of a sentence (example: Loving someone can be hard to do). As a rule of thumb, though, start by translating a verb that ends with -re using to + verb.

Examples:

  • amare - to love; loving
  • habere - to have; having
  • mittere - to send; sending
  • capere - to take; taking
  • venire - to come; coming