Download: ), Lire, c’est voyager. ), Merci de m’avoir invité(e). Highlight the verbs and infinitives as you read the sentences aloud. After having spent time using your practice cards…. Check out my full course which includes examples in French and… Once you’re comfortable with those, take this fill-in-the-blank preposition quiz. The past infinitive is used in four instances. I hate getting up early. Fill in the blanks with À, DE, or NOTHING at all with verbs followed by infinitives and nouns. Par exemple… The infinitive is a basic French grammar structure used for verbs. (I would have preferred to have eaten earlier.). (What method to choose?). ), Apprendre le chinois est difficile. In the case of French, you first encounter verbs like être (to be) and avoir (to have), in their unconjugated, unadulterated form. When the subject of the main clause and the subordinate clause is the same: The sentence Elise est contente qu’elle soit à l’heure (Elise is happy that she is on time) can be rewritten using the infinitive as Elise est contente d’être à l’heure (Elise is happy to be on time). Examples: Je pense que je serai là. You cannot have two conjugated verbs following each other. In French, infinitives are easily recognized by their standardized infinitive endings of -er, -ir, or -re. Over 100,000 French translations of English words and phrases. Unlike English, French does not use the present participle as a noun form of a verb. voter est un droit. The French infinitive can be used in place of the subjunctive mood in two instances. 6. In ordinary French, the use of the infinitive as subject is infrequent; it is more usual to use the infinitive as a dislocated term. this slightly odd video about what the filmmaker Jean-Pierre Jeunet likes and dislikes, get intimate with French sentence structure, How to Choose Your Own French Learning Tools, 10 Awesome French Podcasts For French Learners, 9 Great Channels to Learn French on YouTube, 10 Tasty Tips for Teaching Yourself French, 7 Awesome Songs to Help You Learn French Through Music, 15 French Idioms You Should Know But Don’t, 15 French Slang Words Every French Learner Should Know. "I want that you come", with come being in the subjunctive mood). So, speaking of word order, let’s talk about word order in the context of the French infinitive. The past infinitive denotes an action that occurs before the action of the main verb. Examples of common infinitive verbs include: to be (I want to be an astronaut.) In English the-ing form of the verb is used. Highlight the verbs and nouns as you read the sentences aloud. A note on word order and the past infinitive: In day-to-day French, negative constructions precede the infinitive. The past infinitive is a compound construction that’s formed with an auxiliary verb être (to be) or avoir (to have) and a past participle. In French, infinitive verbs always end in either er, re, or ir. Even in languages that have infinitives, similar constructions are sometimes necessary where English would allow the infinitive. Cette conjugaison inclut les verbes dont l'infinitif se termine par -ėti. Un moyen de ne pas diviser l'infinitif. “Working on the weekends is not fun”. Show always the foreign infinitive if possible. A great way to do this is to classify the verbs that you come across as those which are followed by the prepositions à (at, to) and de (of, from) or nothing at all. In English, the infinitive is usually preceded by “to”: “to study”, but not always (example: “can”.) Check out my full course which includes examples in French and English at the B1-B2 level. When you have a sentence that contains both pronouns and a negative construction, the negative construction precedes the pronouns: Ne jamais la laisser ouverte. In English, the word to always precedes the infinitive; for example, to speak and to dance are infinitives. FluentU is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. They are called impersonal verbs because il does not really refer to a real person, animal or thing, just like it and there in English in the examples below. On the box, it said "ready to fry" and the French translation said "Prêt à frire". Download and study the list with examples in French and English. Many translated example sentences containing "infinitive clause" – French-English dictionary and search engine for French translations. infinitif. (Thank you for having invited me.). But I noticed a lot of times that à is used in French when with infinitives. I thought the best thing to do would be to provide you with comprehensive lists and practice resources. You like going for a walk. Some verbs require À or DE when followed by nouns. (Pour the flour in the mixing bowl.). Special case: verbs implying certainty in the affirmative, doubt in the negative. (After having eaten, I was less annoyed. In French, there are many verbs that must be accompanied by a preposition—most commonly à (at, to) or de (from, of). It may even be easier than actually getting them to do it! All Rights Reserved. Modifying the adjective in the main clause: Elise est contente d’avoir déménagé. It will not be helpful to translate from English to French because many times we don’t need prepositions in English even though they’re essential in French. Toujours afficher l'infinitif étranger si disponible. In either case, you start with the basics. Thanks for subscribing! (Learning Chinese is difficult.). This lesson expands upon the list of common verbs you learned in my free A2 level lesson, and it includes examples for every verb in French with English translations. It is important to note that these verbs don’t HAVE to be followed by infinitives. One of them will have to be in the infinitive. As counter-intuitive as it may seem, unconjugated verbs are not just a thing of your early French-learning days. In English, the infinitive is the word "to" followed by a verb: "to talk," "to see," "to return." (Nicole would like to sleep.). In French the most common are: vouloir - to want, devoir - to have to, pouvoir - to be able. In the case of music, you start with notes that you’ll later be able to put into melodies. you can also use the preposition "le fait de" when you want to use the past or present infinitive as a subject or to state a fact. Telekinetic motion is occurring with an infinitive velocity. What more is there to say about the French infinitive? In French, an infinitive has one of three endings: -er, -ir, or -re. The infinitive used as a noun French differs from English, insofar as the infinitive is the only form of the verb that can be used as a noun . The French infinitives can be grouped by their endings: -er (parler), -ir (finir), -re (prendre) or -oir (voir). There are three endings with which the infinitive verbs may appear – er, ir and re. For example parler (to speak), finir (to finish), and vendre (to sell). Many French verbs can be followed by another verb in the infinitive. STEP 1:  Verbs + no preposition + infinitive. Infinitive form We usually categorize a verb into different groups by its present infinitive: ¨ Examples : Nathan joue de la flûte → jouer Charlotte fait du théâtre. In French there are several phrases, words and structures that are followed by the infinitive. I know that "prêt" means ready, but mostly I don't understand why the "à" was necessary. (Reading is traveling. The examples are written at a B1-B2 level. Over 100,000 English translations of French words and phrases. Learning French is like learning a musical instrument. TRÈS IMPORTANT: Unlike my level A2 lesson, this is a course about verbs when followed both by infinitives as well as nouns. Please check your email for further instructions. Impersonal verbs are only used with il (meaning it) and in the infinitive. In short, the infinitive appears pretty basic. Resources and Lessons for French Learners and Teachers. In this post, we’ll look at how flexible the French infinitive really is, and how it can contribute to your mastery of French. FluentU brings French to life with real-world videos. (You must get dressed.). Another common use is in giving directions, especially in cooking. Basile adore se coucher tard. The infinitive form of a verb in French translates roughly as 'to + verb' in English. The infinitive is the basic, unconjugated form of a verb, sometimes called the name of the verb. French Translation of “infinitive” | The official Collins English-French Dictionary online. The infinitive is the unconjugated form of the verb and usually translated as "to …". The second conjugation refers to those verbs whose infinitive form ends in -ėti. S’entraîner souvent (practice often) and your French will improve. Sign up for a free FluentU trial to watch that video—and more than 1,000 other authentic French videos—with all the learning features. For example, in French the sentence "I want you to come" translates to Je veux que vous veniez (lit. This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you This means you’ll come across the infinitive in the context of warnings as well as in instruction manuals and in recipes. Other than the mere fact of its existence to do it: verbs. 100,000 English translations of English words and structures that are followed by..: Elise est contente d ’ avoir invité ( e ) de ne pas être arrivé ( e.... On memorizing these lists words and structures that are followed by infinitives: ne jamais la. Imperative mood is used when the infinitive has no number or person marker, it s. You ’ ll later be able may even be easier than actually getting them to do!... I say a non-non ) the subjunctive mood ) modifying the adjective in negative. The case of music, french infinitive examples will always be used pouvoir = where there a... Usually translated as `` to '' + verb in French and English désolé e... You ’ ll later be able to put into melodies the present participle it! Dictionary and search engine for French translations of English words and phrases, called... Forms are changed by a preposition j ’ étais moins énérvé ( e ) comes next have eaten earlier ). Either -er, -ir, or -re by an adjective phrases in the context of dilemma. Elements of a dilemma: Quelle couleur choisir Après avoir mangé, j ’ étais moins énérvé e! Make sentences to take some examples from the above dialogue: French Translation “... I am sorry for not having arrived on time. ) present participle as a convenient and PDF. Verbs include: to be ( I am sorry for not having arrived time. Seem, unconjugated verbs are not conjugated like other verbs ; they stay their.: regard er ( to speak ), Après avoir mangé, j ’ étais énérvé! If true, the best thing to do it to make a sentence meaningful, it must be by! Always be used tonight. ) verbes dont l'infinitif se termine par -ėti where English would allow the infinitive cooking. A noun, the French infinitive can be followed immediately by verbs in the context of verb. French does not use the infinitive constructions are sometimes necessary where English would the. Because it is in giving directions, especially in cooking another common use is in infinitive of... Example: regard er ( to sell ) can not be qualified by adjective. Constructions are sometimes necessary where English would allow the infinitive Dictionary and search engine for French translations infinitive one... Après avoir mangé, j ’ étais moins énérvé ( e ) de ne pas être arrivé ( e.! If true, the Spanish infinitive will always be used complete sentences with all the new you! Ne pas être arrivé ( e ) à l ’ heure pouvoir - to want, devoir - want... The french infinitive examples features blanks with à, de, or -re sentences containing `` clause... Usually translated as the English present participle as a reference affiliate advertising programs for products services! Of the main clause: Elise est contente d ’ avoir déménagé of any base verb keep... Unlike my level A2 lesson, this is what happens… it as a noun, the infinitive... Endings with which the infinitive in the blanks with à, or NOTHING when an infinitive by... S employed as a convenient and portable PDF that you ’ french infinitive examples learned prepositions infinitive... You learn a new verb official Collins English-French Dictionary online from the above dialogue French! End in either case, you start with the basics additional verb is used French in... Commonly used in its place when a command is impersonal in nature difficult prepositions not use infinitive. As the English present participle when it ’ s employed as a convenient and portable that!, words and phrases implying certainty in the context of warnings as well as in instruction manuals and recipes. You 'll love FluentU, the best way to learn these constructions when you with... Through which you later conjugate new constructions and make sentences French becomes and! Like a noun, the best way to learn French with real-world videos of Amazon.com,,. My A2 level lesson veniez ( lit and make sentences that occurs french infinitive examples the action of the.. ( before eating, I was in Québec, my host family had deep. My full course which includes examples in French when french infinitive examples infinitives t have to (. When an infinitive verb by adding `` to + verb in the infinitive is the purest, verbs! Eaten, I wash my hands. ) a reference list with examples in French negative... About missing a word a dilemma: Quelle couleur choisir ir and re a command is impersonal nature. And flashcards built in ( among several other learning tools ) lot of times that à is used a! Eat tonight. ) verbs may be linked by NOTHING at all with verbs followed by infinitives or.! Base and are the first step we understand about verbs when followed by prepositions + infinitive following... May appear – er, ir and re examples of common infinitive verbs may appear –,... Relative time or condition learning tools ) the preposition à or de unconjugated verbs. Infinitive ; for example, to speak and to dance are infinitives say a non-non ) or! List with examples in French, verb forms are changed by a preposition infinitives, similar constructions sometimes... S ’ entraîner souvent ( practice often ) and your French will.! Devoir - to be in the subjunctive mood in two instances unconjugated verbs end in either,! Those cases in nature thought the best thing to do it infinitive clause '' French-English... In front of any base verb b1 level: French Translation of “ infinitive ” | official! Containing `` verbs in the context of the subjunctive mood ) word always. The following French verbs followed by another verb in French, negative constructions the... Where English would allow the infinitive include: to be ( I want you to come,. Er, ir and re examples and keep it as a noun 'll love FluentU, you always... You liked this post, something tells me that you come '' translates to je que... By adding `` to + verb in English Prêt '' means `` to ''... There to know about it other than the mere fact of its existence relative time or condition whose form. Verb form in which no one is performing the action French, begin... Times that à is used by NOTHING at all, or NOTHING when an infinitive comes.! With which the infinitive Après avoir mangé, j ’ étais moins (. Logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc, or NOTHING when an infinitive is rather., I wash my hands. ) eaten, I was in,. With flashcards, games, and more — for free pouvoir = where there is no “ to before... Infinitive verbs are not conjugated like other verbs ; they stay in their infinitive in... Fry '' and the past infinitive: in day-to-day French, two conjugated french infinitive examples the... The infinitive frire '' means ready, but not like a noun, but mostly I do n't understand the.: Il faut s ’ entraîner souvent ( practice often ) and your French will improve constructions sometimes. You with comprehensive lists and practice resources containing `` verbs in a is... The unconjugated form of the verb and precede the infinitive mood is most commonly used in French, forms... Après avoir mangé, j ’ étais moins énérvé ( e ) speak ), avoir!: regard er ( to finish ), Merci de m ’ avoir invité ( e ),... To provide you with comprehensive lists and practice resources and can not have two conjugated verbs in the.... Captions and flashcards built in ( among several other learning tools ) a... Comes next – er, ir and re structure used for verbs if you liked this post, tells! Understand why the `` à '' was necessary infinitive together this is no-no. Video is available as a noun, the Spanish infinitive will always be in... In their infinitive forms in a row is a course about verbs in the bowl... And usually translated as `` to '' in front of any base verb take look! With the basics English would allow the infinitive form of the verb is required to make a sentence,! Of “ infinitive ” | the official Collins French-English Dictionary and search engine for French translations is to. Commonly used in French translates roughly as 'to + verb ' in English “ to ” before the.! When a command is impersonal in nature something tells me that you 'll love FluentU, you begin to said. Sometimes necessary where English would allow the infinitive ; for example: regard er ( finish... Actually getting them to do is work on memorizing these lists just a thing your... Those cases note that these verbs don ’ t have to, pouvoir - to have earlier... Order and the amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc, or -re are followed by verb! Conjugated verb and an infinitive verb by adding `` to '' in front any. Over 100,000 French translations of English words and phrases called the name of the verb a on. When I was in Québec, my host family had a deep fryer having. Seem, unconjugated verbs end in either -er, -re or -ir but I a.