French Grammar: Conjugated Verbs + Infinitive Verb
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Identify:
French Grammar: Conjugated Verbs + Infinitive Verb
la grammaire française: les verbes conjugués + les verbes à l’infinitif
- The infinitive form of a verb conveys the basic meaning of that verb.
- Many conjugated French verbs can be followed directly by an infinitive verb.
Study:
The infinitive form of a French verb is the form that ends with [-ER], [-IR], or [-RE]. Each of these infinitive endings is the equivalent of “to …” (i..e. to speak, to read, to take, etc.) in English. Often, an infinitive verb is conjugated when used in a sentence. But French infinitives are used in a variety of other ways, too.
Certain conjugated verbs can be followed directly by an infinitive verb. Here are some of those verbs:
admettre : to admit to
adorer : to love
aimer / aimer mieux : to like / to prefer
aller : to go
avoir beau : to do (some action) in vain / to do (some action) without success
compter : to intend
croire : to believe / to think
désirer : to want
détester : to hate
devoir : to have to / must / should / ought
espérer : to hope
laisser : to let (something happen) / to allow (something to happen)
oser : to dare
paraître : to appear to / to seem to
penser : to intend
pouvoir : to be able / can
préférer : to prefer
savoir : to know how
sembler : to seem to
souhaiter : to wish / to hope
vouloir : to want
Adapt:
Vous allez à la fête?
Are you all going to the party?
Non, nous pensons rester à la maison.
No, we intend to stay home.
Il n’ose pas arriver en retard.
He doesn’t dare to arrive late.
Ils peuvent parler russe.
They (masculine) can speak Russian.
Elle veut regarder la télé mais je préfère sortir.
She want to watch TV but I prefer to go out.
Tu sais patiner à glace?
Do you (informal) know how to ice skate?
Non, j’ai eu beau apprendre!
No, I tried learning without success!
