An overview of French infinitives, covering their uses, forms, and role in sentence construction.
The infinitive is the base form of a French verb, equivalent to “to [verb]” in English. French infinitives end in -er, -ir, or -re. They are used in many ways: as subjects or objects, after certain verbs or prepositions, and to express purpose or commands. French has two main infinitive forms: the simple infinitive and the past infinitive.
French Infinitive Forms
French has two infinitive forms:
- Simple (present) infinitive: the base form (e.g., parler, finir, vendre)
- Past infinitive: formed with être or avoir + past participle (e.g., avoir parlé, être parti)
The past infinitive expresses a completed action relative to the time of the main verb.
What is the function of the French past infinitive?
To express an action completed before the main verb
The past infinitive shows that the action was completed before the time of the main verb.
How is the French past infinitive formed?
Using avoir or être + past participle
The past infinitive is formed with the auxiliary verbs avoir or être followed by the past participle of the main verb.
Uses of the Simple Infinitive
The simple infinitive is used:
- As a subject or object: Lire est important (Reading is important).
- After certain verbs: Je veux partir (I want to leave).
- After prepositions: Avant de sortir... (Before going out...).
- To express purpose: Étudier pour réussir (Study to succeed).
- In commands with il faut / il est nécessaire de: Il faut dormir (One must sleep).
Using the Past Infinitive
The past infinitive expresses an action completed before the main verb:
- Après avoir mangé... (After having eaten...)
- Je suis désolé d’être arrivé en retard (I’m sorry for having arrived late).
- Elle prétend avoir fini (She claims to have finished).
Use avoir + past participle for most verbs. Use être + past participle for reflexive and certain movement verbs (e.g., être parti, être sorti, s’être lavé).
Avoiding Two Infinitives in a Row
French avoids placing two infinitives in a row:
- Incorrect: *Je vais partir sortir.
- Correct: Je vais sortir (I’m going out).
If a preposition is needed, use it:
- Je vais sortir après avoir mangé (I’m going out after eating).
- J’ai décidé de partir (I decided to leave).
Reflexive Verbs in the Infinitive
Reflexive verbs include the reflexive pronoun se before the infinitive:
- se laver (to wash oneself)
- se lever (to get up)
- se préparer (to get ready)
Example: Je vais me laver (I’m going to wash myself).
Common Prepositions Before Infinitives
Certain prepositions are often followed by an infinitive:
- à : commencer à lire (start reading)
- de : arrêter de fumer (stop smoking)
- avant de : avant de partir (before leaving)
- sans : sans manger (without eating)
- pour : pour réussir (to succeed)
The infinitive follows the preposition directly.
Summary
French infinitives are essential building blocks. The simple infinitive expresses general actions, follows many verbs and prepositions, and can function as a noun. The past infinitive shows a completed action relative to the main verb. Reflexive pronouns go before the infinitive for reflexive verbs. Understanding these forms and their contexts is key to mastering French verb construction.
Which statement best summarizes the role of the French infinitive?
It expresses actions in a general, non-conjugated form and can function as a noun or follow other verbs and prepositions.
The infinitive is a base verb form expressing general actions and follows various grammatical structures.
Last updated: Thu Jun 12, 2025
