Key points about infinitive constructions
An The infinitive is the form of the verb found in a dictionary before the verb is conjugated. In German the infinitive ends in -en or -n and the equivalent in English is (to) to play, to go, to listen. construction is a set phrase that links sentences or A clause has one main idea which can form a complete sentence (main clause) or part of a sentence (a subordinate clause). together, for example um…zu… in order to, statt…zu…instead of and ohne…zu…without doing.
It is created by using the infinitive after the A particle is a word which has a grammatical function and can modify other words. Eg a verb is written in the infinitive after the particle zu.zu.
There is no A subject pronoun is the person or thing doing the action. in an infinitive construction.
Sentences can be made more complex by adding infinitive constructions and they can make sentences flow better.
Video
Using modal verbs and the infinitive
How to use the infinitive in German
When you look up a verb in the dictionary what you find is the verb in the infinitive form.
In English it’s two words - ‘to swim’ - but in German it’s just the one schwimmen.
In German, there’s a group of verbs to help you say what you like, what you can and what you have to do.
They’re called modal verbs and they always come together with a verb in the infinitive form.
Ich mag is a modal verb. it means ‘I like’.
When you put it with an infinitive - like schwimmen - you get ich mag schwimmen - ‘I like to swim’.
The other thing you need to know about modal verbs is that they send the infinitive to the end of the sentence, if it’s not there already.
Ich mag in der See schwimmen - I like to swim in the sea.
Ich mag jeden Morgen in der See schwimmen - I like to swim in the sea every morning.
Können means ‘to be able’. Ich kann - ‘I am able’ or ‘I can’.
Ich kann schwimmen - I can swim.
Müssen means ‘to have to’ or ‘must’. Ich muss - ‘I must’.
Ich muss meine Mutter anrufen - I have to call my mum.
With ich mag, ich kann and ich muss, and an infinitive, you can say lots of things that you like, can and have to do!'
Ich muss jetzt gehen!
Using the infinitive construction um…zu…
The infinitive construction um…zu… means in order to. It is used to link two sentences together, making them flow better and sound more natural.
Example:
Ich esse Obst und Gemüse. Ich bleibe gesund.
- I eat fruit and vegetables. I'm staying healthy.
These two short sentences can be linked together using um…zu…:
Ich esse Obst und Gemüse, um gesund zu bleiben.
- I eat fruit and vegetables in order to stay healthy.
The The subject is the person, animal or thing that does the action in a sentence. For example, ‘She plays football.’ She is the subject because she is the one playing football. ich is already in the first sentence so it does not need to be repeated in the second sentence.
Replace the A verb is a doing wordbleibe in the second sentence with the The infinitive is the form of the verb found in a dictionary before the verb is conjugated. In German the infinitive ends in -en or -n and the equivalent in English is (to) to play, to go, to listen.bleiben.
The infinitive form of the verb must go after zu at the end.
A comma must be added between the two parts of the sentence as it separates the main A clause has one main idea which can form a complete sentence (main clause) or part of a sentence (a subordinate clause)ich esse keine Schokolade from the infinitive construction um gesund zu bleiben.
Check your understanding
Using the infinitive constructions statt…zu… and ohne…zu…
Using statt…zu…
In this example there are two simple sentences which can be linked together using statt…zu… (instead of)
Ich gehe zu Fuß in die Stadt. Ich fahre nicht mit dem Auto.
- I walk into town. I don’t travel by car.
Ich gehe zu Fuß in die Stadt, statt mit dem Auto zu fahren.
- I walk into town instead of travelling by car.
The A subject pronoun is the person or thing doing the action. ich is already in the first sentence so it does not need to be repeated in the second sentence.
Replace the A verb is a doing word fahre in the second sentence with the The infinitive is the form of the verb found in a dictionary before the verb is conjugated. In German the infinitive ends in -en or -n and the equivalent in English is (to) to play, to go, to listen.fahren.
The infinitive form of the verb must go after zu at the end.
As statt…zu… implies a negative action, the word nicht is no longer needed.
A comma must be added between the two parts of the sentence as it separates the main A clause has one main idea which can form a complete sentence (main clause) or part of a sentence (a subordinate clause).Ich gehe zu Fuß in die Stadt from the infinitive construction statt mit dem Auto zu fahren.
Using ohne…zu…
In this example there are two simple sentences which can be linked together using ohne…zu…without doing
Ich muss auf meine Geschwister aufpassen. Ich verdiene kein Geld.
- I have to look after my siblings. I don’t earn any money.
Ich muss auf meine Geschwister aufpassen, ohne Geld zu verdienen.
- I have to look after my siblings without earning any money.
The subject ich is already in the first sentence so it does not need to be repeated in the second sentence.
Replace the verb verdiene in the second sentence with the infinitive verdienen
The infinitive form of the verb must go after zu at the end.
As ohne…zu… implies a negative action, the word kein is no longer needed.
A comma must be added between the two parts of the sentence as it separates the main clause Ich muss auf meine Geschwister aufpassen from the infinitive construction ohne Geld zu verdienen.
Mini quiz
- I am learning German in order to work in Berlin
Ich lerne Deutsch, um in Berlin zu arbeiten.
- I ride a bike instead of travelling by car.
Ich fahre mit dem Rad, statt mit dem Auto zu fahren.
Using an infinitive construction as the first idea
Infinitive constructions can also be used to start sentences.
Starting a sentence with um…zu…, statt…zu… or ohne…zu… has an impact on word order.
For example:
Um die Umwelt zu schützen, sollte man Energie sparen.
- In order to protect the environment, you should save energy.
Statt früh ins Bett zu gehen, habe ich Computerspiele gespielt.
- Instead of going to bed early, I played computer games.
Ohne viel Geld auszugeben, hat mein Vater eine neue Jacke gekauft.
- Without spending much money, my dad bought a new jacket.
The first sentence in each of these examples is the The infinitive is the form of the verb found in a dictionary before the verb is conjugated. In German the infinitive ends in -en or -n and the equivalent in English is (to) to play, to go, to listen. construction. This the first idea in the whole sentence.
In German word order the main A verb is a doing word is always the second idea. In these examples the main verbs are sollte, habe and hat and they are then followed by the A subject pronoun is the person or thing doing the action..
The infinitive construction and the main sentence are separated by a comma which creates the pattern verb comma verb as shown in the examples.
Other infinitive constructions
Infinitive constructions can also be used with certain verbs.
Some of the key verbs to know are:
| German | English |
|---|---|
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | to begin |
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | to hope |
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | to try |
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | to intend |
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | to have the opportunity |
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | to be prepared |
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | to plan |
These verbs are all followed by an infinitive construction, preceded by zu, and a comma must be used to separate the first sentence from the infinitive construction:
| German | English |
|---|---|
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | We are beginning to learn German. |
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | I hope to get good grades. |
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | I try to save water. |
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | I intend to do a gap year / voluntary work year. |
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | We have the opportunity to experience new cultures. |
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | I am prepared to work hard. |
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | We are planning to go on a trip to Switzerland. |
Mini quiz
- Ich hoffe, diesen Sommer nach Bremen zu fahren.
I hope to go/travel to Bremen this summer.
- Meine Freunde und ich planen, eine große Party zu organisieren.
My friends and I are planning to organise a big party.
Quiz
More on Verbs
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