L'infinitif: The Infinitive Of The Verb In French - Lingolia Français

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What is l’infinitif in French?

L’infinitif (the infinitive) is the base form of the verb: it is a non-conjugated form that, like the participles, does not express a tense, person or number. The French infinitives can be grouped by their endings: -er (parler), -ir (finir), -re (prendre) or -oir (voir). In French there are several phrases, words and structures that are followed by the infinitive.

Learn when to use the infinitive with Lingolia’s quick and easy examples, then put your knowledge to the test in the free exercises.

Contents

• When to use the infinitive in French
• Verbs of perception
• Other Verbs
• Reflexive Verbs
• Adjectives and past participles used as adjectives
• Noun Phrases
• Prepositions
• Verbs that take a direct object
• Verbs that take an indirect object
• Impersonal sentences
• Exercises – Infinitif

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– Bonjour! J’ai l’intention d’apprendre à jouer au tennis. Je suis venue pour m’acheter une bonne raquette de tennis.

– Je suis ici pour vous aider. Je vous conseille d’acheter une raquette pour débutant.

– Mais j’espère bientôt jouer comme une joueuse professionnelle. J’ai vu hier des professionnels jouer, c’était impressionnant.

– Vous devez tout d’abord apprendre à taper dans la balle. Jouer comme un pro demande du temps. Pour devenir si bons, les professionnels se sont entraînés pendant des années.

When to use the infinitive in French

L’infinitif is an impersonal verb form (like the gerund and the past participle) that is used after certain words and phrases. In addition to following a verb, the infinitive often follows the prepositions à and de.

Example: avoir l’intention + de + infinitif → J’ai l’intention d’apprendre à jouer au tennis.I intend to start playing tennis. vouloir + infinitif → Je veux acheter une bonne raquette.I want to buy a good racquet.

The infinitive can refer to the subject or the object of a sentence, or it can be part of an impersonal construction. The following lists include the most important words and phrases that are followed by an infinitive.

Verbs of perception

Verbs related to the senses and perception are followed by an infinitive:

apercevoirto perceive, contemplerto contemplate, devinerto guess, discernerto discern, distinguerto distinguish, écouterto listen, éprouverto feel, entendreto understand, observerto observe, regarderto look/watch, ressentirto feel, sentirto feel, voirto see

Examples: J’entends les joueurs courir.I can hear the players running. J’ai vu hier des professionnels jouer, c’était impressionnant.I saw professionals playing yesterday – it was impressive.

Other Verbs

Other common verbs that take the infinitive in French are:

affirmerto claim, apprendre àto learn to, croireto believe, décider deto decide to, devoirmust/have to, espérerto hope, essayer deto try to, hésiter àto hesitate to, menacer deto threaten to, oserto dare, oublier deto forget to, pouvoirto be able to, préférerto prefer, projeter deto plan to, promettre deto promise to, proposer à qn deto suggest something to someone, savoirto know, tendre àto tend to, vouloirto want

Example: Elle espère pouvoir bientôt jouer comme une professionnelle.She hopes to be able to play like a professional soon.

Reflexive Verbs

In French, reflexive verbs are followed by an infinitive:

s’appliquer àto do your best, s’apprêter àto get ready for, s’attendre àto expect to, se déclarer prêt àto declare yourself ready for, se décider àto resolve to, s’efforcer deto make an effort to, se permettre deto allow yourself to, se préparer àto prepare yourself to, se souvenir deto remember, se réjouir deto be delighted about

Example: Je m’attends à progresser très vite.I expect to make rapid progress.

Adjectives and past participles used as adjectives

Adjectives and past participles that act as adjectives are also followed by the infinitive in French.

appliqué àhard-working, content dehappy, décidé àdetermined, deçu dedisappointed, étonné desurprised, réjoui dedelighted, soulagé derelieved, triste desad

Examples: La cliente est décidée à jouer bientôt comme une professionnelle.The customer is determined to play like a professional soon. Le vendeur est étonné d’entendre ça.The salesman is shocked to hear that.

Noun Phrases

The following noun phrases are followed by the infinitive:

avoir l’espoir deto have a hope of, avoir l’intention deto have the intention of, avoir tendance àto have a tendency to, faire la promesse deto make a promise to, prendre la décision deto make the decision to, voir la nécessité deto see the need to

Examples: J’ai l’intention de jouer bientôt aussi bien qu’une professionnelle.I have the intention of playing as well as a professional soon. Elle a tendance à être très ambitieuse.She has a tendency to be very ambitious.

Prepositions

The following prepositions are followed by the infinitive:

afin de/pourin order to/in front of, au lieu deinstead of, avant debefore, sanswithout

Examples: Pour devenir si bons, les professionnels se sont entraînés pendant des années.In order to become that good, the pros have trained for years.

Verbs that take a direct object

Certain verbs that take a direct object are followed by the infinitive in French:

aider qn àto help someone, amener qn àto bring someone, convaincre qn deto convince someone, dissuader qn àto dissuade someone, encourager qn àto encourage someone, forcer qn àto force someone, inciter qn àto encourage/persuade someone, inviter qn àto invite someone, persuader qn deto persuade someone, prier qn deto ask someone

Examples: La cliente prie le vendeur de la conseiller.The customer asks the salesman to advise her. Le vendeur a convaincu la cliente d’acheter une raquette pour débutant.The salesman convinced the customer to buy a beginners’ racquet.

Verbs that take an indirect object

Likewise, some verbs that take an indirect object are also followed by the infinitive:

apprendre à qn àto teach someone (a skill), conseiller à qn deto advise someone, enseigner à qn àto teach (in a school), interdire à qn deto forbid someone to do something, permettre à qn deto allow someone to do something, ordonner à qn deto order someone to do something, rappeller à qn deto remind someone of something, recommender à qn deto recommend something to someone

Examples: Un ami m’apprend à jouer au tennis.A friend is teaching me to play tennis. Le vendeur conseille à la cliente d’acheter une raquette pour débutant.The salesman advises the customer to buy a beginners’ racquet.

Impersonal sentences

The following adjectives are generally used in impersonal sentences with ce, cela, and il + adjective + preposition + infinitive.

absurde deabsurd, compilqué de/àcomplicated, courageux debrave, désagréable deunpleasant, difficile de/àdifficult, égoïste deselfish, équitable defair, facile de/àeasy, impossible de/àimpossible, intelligent deintelligent, malpoli derude, triste de/àsad

Examples: C’est difficile à accomplir.It’s hard to achieve. Il est difficile de jouer comme un pro.It’s hard to play like a pro.

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Infinitif – Free Exercise

1. Infinitif – free exercise

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Infinitif – Lingolia Plus Exercises

1. Infinitif – formes (1) A1
2. Infinitif – formes (2) A2
3. Infinitif – formes (3) A2
4. Infinitif – constructions verbales (1) A2
5. Infinitif ou passé composé ? (1) A2
6. Infinitif ou participe passé ? (2) A2
7. Infinitif – constructions verbales (2) B1
8. Infinitif – constructions verbales (3) B1
9. Infinitif – avec de ou avec à (1) B1
10. Infinitif – avec de ou avec à (2) B1
11. Infinitif – avec ou sans préposition (1) B1
12. Infinitif – avec ou sans préposition (2) B1
13. Infinitif – avec ou sans préposition (3) B1
14. Infinitif – constructions verbales (4) B2

A1 Beginner A2 Elementary B1 Intermediate B2 Upper intermediate C1 Advanced Gapfill Multiple choice Drag-and-drop Mixed Grammar Tenses – Indicative Verbs

• Avoir/Être
• Infinitif
• Participe/Gérondif
  • Participe présent
  • Participe passé
  • Participe composé
  • Gérondif
• Pronominal Verbs
• Passif
• Impératif
• Conditionnel
• Subjonctif
• Top 50 French Verbs
• Irregular Verbs

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