{"id":13711,"date":"2024-03-20T18:30:32","date_gmt":"2024-03-20T18:30:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/contentoitaliano.com\/?p=13711"},"modified":"2024-03-20T18:30:37","modified_gmt":"2024-03-20T18:30:37","slug":"navigating-italian-grammar-when-and-why-to-use-the-infinitive","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/contentoitaliano.com\/navigating-italian-grammar-when-and-why-to-use-the-infinitive\/","title":{"rendered":"Navigating Italian Grammar: When and Why to Use the Infinitive"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Are you an intermediate Italian learner who’s grappling with when to use the infinitive form of Italian verbs?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Understanding Italian grammar can be tricky, especially when it comes to conjugating verbs. If you find yourself puzzled by when and why to use -ere, -are, and -ire endings, you’re not alone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this blog post, we’ll take a close look at the Italian infinitive and compare it to English. We’ll cover when to use the infinitive form of verbs, how prepositions are important, and why directly translating from English may not be the best approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By the end of this post, you’ll have a better understanding of how to navigate Italian grammar and confidently choose the correct form of the verb in different situations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let’s explore Italian infinitives together!<\/p>\n\n\n

What is the infinitive in Italian?<\/strong> Discover the base form of Italian verbs and how -are, -ere, and -ire endings set the foundation for fluency.<\/h2>\n\n\n

In Italian grammar, the infinitive form of a verb is crucial. It’s the base form of the verb that remains unchanged and serves as the foundation for conjugation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Verbs in the infinitive form in Italian end in -are, -ere, or -ire. These endings are also an indication of the specific conjugation patterns of a verb. For example, a verb ending in -are such as mangiare <\/em>change to mangia <\/em>for \u201che\/ she eats\u201d and a verb ending in -ere such as piangere <\/em>(to cry) change to piange <\/em>for \u201che\/she cries\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The infinitive in Italian consists of one word, not two. It is unconjugated and not connected to any time. I refer to it as the \u201cpure\u201d action, because it expresses the action without attributing it to anyone or anything (that is, without conjugating it) and without making any tense explicit.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In English consider the difference between \u201cI eat\u201d (a verb in the conjugated form) and the action of \u201ceating\u201d or \u201cto eat\u201d, which do not attribute the action to anyone or anything. The latter two would be an infinitive in Italian.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I say to my students that understanding how to use the infinitive in Italian sets the foundation for fluency, because it allows you to transition from basic sentences such as mangio <\/em>(I eat) to more complex ones, such as vorrei mangiare <\/em>(I would like to eat).<\/p>\n\n\n

Infinitive in Italian vs. English<\/strong>: Navigate the pitfalls of direct translation, especially with -ing forms, to avoid common mistakes and confusion.<\/h2>\n\n\n

The infinitive in Italian corresponds to an -ing verb in English (for example, walking<\/em>) or a verb in the base form such as to walk<\/em>. Be careful though when translating directly from English into Italian, as not all verbs which end in -ing in English are an infinitive in Italian!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you are unsure whether a verb in Italian needs to be expressed in the Infinitive or not, ask yourself the following questions:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  • Does this verb need to be conjugated? In other words, is this action attributed directly to a person, such as \u201cthey walk\u201d or is it a \u201cpure action\u201d such as \u201cto walk\u201d or \u201cwalking\u201d? \u201cPure actions\u201d are expressed in the Infinitive in Italian.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Does this verb represent the object of an action such as the action of \u201cwalking\u201d in \u201cI enjoy walking<\/strong>\u201d or \u201cI want to walk<\/strong>\u201d or \u201cI try to walk<\/strong>\u201d? If the answer is yes, then the verb needs to be expressed in the infinitive.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

    Some understanding of syntax, or the structure of a phrase, might help you to understand the infinitive in Italian.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Often, you have a main clause which is the one containing the conjugated verb such as I want<\/em>, I am able to<\/em>, I prefer<\/em> and a subordinate clause that specifies what it is you want, what it is you are able to do and what it is that you prefer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The verb of the subordinate clause is expressed in the infinitive and does not need to be conjugated because it acts as the object of what you want, what you are able to do and what you prefer.<\/p>\n\n\n

    When do I use the infinitive in Italian?<\/h2>\n\n\n

    For the following section, I have prepared a list of situations in Italian which require using the infinitive form of the verb. I’ll explain why this is and provide you with some examples and translations into English.<\/p>\n\n\n

    1. Use the infinitive after modal verbs su<\/strong>ch as voglio<\/em>, posso<\/em>, devo<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n

    In Italian grammar, certain verbs naturally pair with the infinitive form of another verb. These verbs include volere <\/em>(to want), dovere <\/em>(to have to), potere <\/em>(to be able to), and sapere <\/em>(to know how to). When these verbs are used, the following verb appears in its infinitive form.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    By recognizing these key verbs that call for the infinitive, you can develop speed in spoken Italian in using the correct form of the verb when required. You will notice that, with practice, your brain will work more like that of a native speaker of Italian, where, for example, the verb voglio <\/em>(I want) immediately primes you for the infinitive that would come next.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    For example:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      \n
    • Mi dispiace, adesso devo <\/em>andare<\/em><\/strong> (I\u2019m sorry, now I have to go)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

      In this example, the modal verb devo <\/em>(I must) is followed by the infinitive verb andare <\/em>(go). One way you could think about this is that andare <\/em>is the object of what it is that you must do.<\/p>\n\n\n

      2. Use the infinitive after mi piace<\/em> and preferisco<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n

      In Italian, the verbs mi piace<\/em> and preferisco <\/em>want to be followed by a verb in the infinitive. Here are some examples:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

        \n
      • Non mi piace <\/em>svegliarmi <\/em><\/strong>presto <\/em>(which can be translated in English as \u201cI don\u2019t like getting up early\u201d or \u201cI don\u2019t like to get up early)In this example, svegliarmi <\/em>can be seen as the object or thing that you don\u2019t like to do<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
          \n
        • Durante il fine settimana preferisco <\/em>svegliarmi <\/em><\/strong>tardi<\/em> (during the weekend I prefer to wake up late)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

          Again, svegliarmi <\/em>here is the object of your preference. There is no need for it to be conjugated because it\u2019s a dependent clause on the main clause that contains the verb conjugated for \u201cI\u201d, that is, \u201cI prefer\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n

          3. Use the infinitive after expressions such as prima di<\/em>, dopo d<\/em>i, and senza<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n

          The infinitive in Italian is used after expressions such as prima di\u2026<\/em> (before doing\u2026), dopo di<\/em>\u2026(after doing\u2026) and senza<\/em>\u2026 (without doing\u2026)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

            \n
          • Prima di <\/em>cominciare <\/em><\/strong>il lavoro, bevo sempre un te\u2019<\/em> (before starting work, I always drink a tea)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

            From the point of view of syntax, the main clause here is bevo sempre un te<\/em>\u2019. This is the clause that contains the verb conjugated to \u201cI\u201d, that is \u201cbevo\u201d. The clause prima di cominciare il lavoro<\/em>, is a subordinate clause that adds further information to the main clause, in this case time information. We don\u2019t need to have a conjugated verb here, because we already know that \u201cI\u201d am the subject of the sentence. Again, the infinitive cominciare <\/em>can be seen as the \u201cthing\u201d that needs to be preceded by tea drinking in your routine.<\/p>\n\n\n

            4. Use the infinitive when the infinitive acts as a noun<\/h3>\n\n\n

            The infinitive in Italian can also act as a noun. More specifically, in grammar terms, it can act as the object or the subject of the action in a sentence.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

            Examples could be:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

              \n
            • Non ti vedo <\/em>studiare<\/em> <\/strong>(I can\u2019t see you studying). In this sentence studiare <\/em>acts as the object of the sentence<\/li>\n\n\n\n
            • Mangiare <\/em><\/strong>troppo zucchero non e\u2019 buono per la salute<\/em> (eating too much sugar isn\u2019t good for health). In this sentence Mangiare troppo zucchero<\/em> acts as the subject of the sentence<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n

              5. Use the infinitive with causative expressions that involve having something done, letting something happen or making someone do<\/h3>\n\n\n

              Causative expressions are used when something or someone makes something or someone do something. The action that is being caused to happen, in Italian, is expressed in the infinitive.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

              Here are some examples:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                \n
              • Faccio <\/em>aggiustare <\/em><\/strong>il tetto<\/em> (I have the roof fixed)Note that this sentence doesn\u2019t translate cleanly into English from Italian. The Italian literally says \u201cI make fix the roof\u201d, the person that fixes the roof here is implied, not explicitly stated and, for this reason, in English we use the passive form \u201cI have the roof fixed\u201d (by a person who is not specified here).<\/li>\n\n\n\n
              • Il polline lo fa <\/em>starnutire<\/em> <\/strong>(pollen makes him sneeze)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
              • I bambini non la lasciano <\/em>lavorare <\/em><\/strong>(the kids don\u2019t let her work)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

                Again, the infinitives in these examples can be considered to be objects, or, in other words, \u201cthe thing that is being made, or let, to happen\u201d As such, there is no reason why they should be conjugated to any specific person, they can be seen as \u201cpure actions\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n

                6. Use the infinitive after certain verbs which are used with prepositions such as a<\/em>, di<\/em>, per<\/em> and da<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n

                Often, certain set verbs and expressions in Italian want to be followed by a preposition such as di<\/em>, da<\/em>, a <\/em>or per. <\/em>The verb that follows this preposition has to be expressed in the infinitive form.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

                Consider the following examples:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  \n
                • Sto per <\/em>partire<\/em> <\/strong>(I\u2019m about to leave) – note, stare per <\/em>is a specific expression in Italian that means \u201cto be about to\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                • C\u2019e\u2019 troppo da <\/em>fare<\/em> <\/strong>(there is too much to do). It\u2019s worth noting that Italian has several expressions built like this one. For example, non c\u2019e\u2019 abbastanza da mangiare<\/em>, e\u2019 bello da vedere<\/em>, c\u2019e\u2019 molto da imparare<\/em>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                • Cominciano a <\/em>stancarsi<\/em> <\/strong>( they are beginning to feel tired) – note, stancarsi <\/em>is a reflexive verb<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                • Ti sei ricordato di <\/em>fare <\/em><\/strong>la spesa?<\/em> (Have you remembered to do the shopping?)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

                  There is a large list of Italian verbs which are followed by the preposition a + infinitive. Examples are iniziare a <\/em>(to begin to), insegnare a<\/em> (to teach to) and riuscire a<\/em> (to manage to).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  Similarly, there is a list of verbs which are followed by the preposition di + infinitive, such as cercare di <\/em>(to try to), sforzarsi di<\/em> (to make an effort to) and finire di <\/em>(to finish\u2026-ing)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  We understand that these rules around usage of certain verbs in Italian can be frustrating for English speakers. This is because, as a non-native speaker, you have no way of knowing whether an Italian verb requires a preposition or not. <\/strong>Use of the prepositions a <\/em>or di <\/em>after a verb does not follow a logic or rule, and therefore relies on memorisation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  If it\u2019s any consolation, however, a strategy that I\u2019ve found to be effective with my students when it comes to these set verbs followed by a preposition, is to think of the action in the infinitive as the \u201cobject\u201d or the primary, conjugated, action of the sentence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  Breaking down the examples above:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    \n
                  • In sto per partire<\/em> (I\u2019m about to leave) the infinitive partire <\/em>is the object of what you\u2019re about to do.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                  • In c\u2019e\u2019 troppo da fare<\/em> (there is too much to do) the infinitive fare <\/em>is the object of what there is too much of<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                  • In cominciano a stancarsi<\/em> ( they are beginning to feel tired) the infinitive stancarsi <\/em>is the object, or the thing that they are starting to do or feel.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

                    and so on\u2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    When it comes to the preposition per<\/em>, a trick that can be applied is to think that per<\/em> expresses purpose, intention, an aim or a goal<\/strong>. The action that conveys the goal, aim, purpose or intention needs to be expressed in the infinitive because it\u2019s, again, the \u201cobject\u201d or \u201cpure action\u201d that represents your purpose.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    For example:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      \n
                    • Molte persone studiano per <\/em>avere<\/em><\/strong> l\u2019opportunita\u2019 di trovare un lavoro ben pagato<\/em> (Many people study to have the opportunity to find a well-paid job).Here the verb avere, <\/em>in the infinitive, represents the goal or aim of the action expressed in the main clause (they study).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n

                      Conclusion<\/h3>\n\n\n

                      In conclusion, mastering the Italian infinitive is a fundamental step towards achieving fluency in the language. By understanding the base form of Italian verbs and when to use -are, -ere, and -ire endings, you can navigate more complex sentences with ease.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      Avoiding direct translations from English, recognizing the influence of prepositions on the infinitive, and identifying key verbs that naturally call for the infinitive form will streamline your learning of how to use this verb form.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

                      Are you an intermediate Italian learner who’s grappling with when to use the infinitive form of Italian verbs? Understanding Italian grammar can be tricky, especially when it comes to conjugating verbs. If you find yourself puzzled by when and why to use -ere, -are, and -ire endings, you’re not alone. In this blog post, we’ll […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":13712,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"set","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[37,38,39,36,35,33,34],"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/contentoitaliano.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Italian-infinitive-featured-image.png",848,544,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/contentoitaliano.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Italian-infinitive-featured-image-150x150.png",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/contentoitaliano.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Italian-infinitive-featured-image-300x192.png",300,192,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/contentoitaliano.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Italian-infinitive-featured-image-768x493.png",768,493,true],"large":["https:\/\/contentoitaliano.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Italian-infinitive-featured-image.png",848,544,false],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/contentoitaliano.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Italian-infinitive-featured-image.png",848,544,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/contentoitaliano.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Italian-infinitive-featured-image.png",848,544,false]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"Federica","author_link":"https:\/\/contentoitaliano.com\/author\/fedemenchinelli\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"Are you an intermediate Italian learner who’s grappling with when to use the infinitive form of Italian verbs? Understanding Italian grammar can be tricky, especially when it comes to conjugating verbs. If you find yourself puzzled by when and why to use -ere, -are, and -ire endings, you’re not alone. In this blog post, we’ll…","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/contentoitaliano.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13711"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/contentoitaliano.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/contentoitaliano.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/contentoitaliano.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/contentoitaliano.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13711"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/contentoitaliano.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13711\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":13713,"href":"https:\/\/contentoitaliano.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13711\/revisions\/13713"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/contentoitaliano.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/13712"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/contentoitaliano.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13711"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/contentoitaliano.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=13711"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/contentoitaliano.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=13711"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}