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Der Infinitiv ist die Grundform des Verbs, die du im Wörterbuch findest. Im Deutschen endet er meistens auf -en oder -n, und er bildet die Ausgangsbasis für das Konjugieren und Verwenden von Verben in verschiedenen Zeiten.

The infinitive is the basic verb form you find in the dictionary. In German it usually ends in -en or -n, and it’s the starting point for learning how to conjugate and use verbs in different tenses.

Definition

Der Infinitiv zeigt die allgemeine Bedeutung der Handlung, ohne sie an eine bestimmte Person, Zahl oder Zeit zu binden. Er ist nützlich, um über Handlungen im Allgemeinen zu sprechen und um andere grammatikalische Konstruktionen zu bilden.

The infinitive shows the general meaning of the action without tying it to a particular person, number, or time. It’s useful for talking about actions in the abstract and for forming other grammatical constructions.

Fill in the BlankEin Infinitiv zeigt die Handlung im grundlegenden(meaning).

An infinitive shows the action in its basic meaning.

Complete the definition: An infinitive shows the action in its basic ___ (meaning) without specifying person or time.

Typical Endings

Most German infinitives end in -en, like lernen, while a smaller number end in -n, like sein. This pattern helps you recognize and list verbs in the dictionary.

	German Infinitive	English Translation
	lernen	to learn
	sein	to be
	gehen	to go
	machen	to do / to make

Which of the following is the most common ending for German infinitives?

-e

-t

-st

-en

Use After Modal Verbs

Modal verbs like können, müssen, wollen, sollen, dürfen, and möchten are followed by the infinitive of the main verb, which stays in its basic form. This lets you express ability, necessity, desire, and permission.

After a modal verb (e.g., können, müssen), the main verb appears as:

infinitive with 'zu'

conjugated

past participle

infinitive without 'zu'

Use After Useful Expressions

Certain common expressions are followed by an infinitive, such as phrases with haben...zu, vorhaben, versuchen, beginnen, aufhören, and planen. These keep the action general until you specify it further.

Fill in the BlankMan hat heute viel(to do).

One has a lot to do today.

Complete the expression: Man hat heute viel ___ (to do).

Use for Time Expressions

Infinitives can follow prepositions like um, ohne, anstatt, nach, and bevor when you want to link actions and keep the sentence concise. These constructions often appear in more complex sentences.

Which preposition is commonly followed by 'zu' and an infinitive to express purpose?

für

mit

nach

Summary

The infinitive is the basic "to" form of the verb and is used after modals, after certain expressions, and with prepositions when you want to talk about actions in general. Learning to spot and use the infinitive will help you build sentences more easily.