French Grammar in Context

The infinitive in the text

1 USAGE

a Used independently

• after a question word, e.g. Comment mieux parler?(title); que dire à un grand élève...?
  (line 32)


• as a polite command, with the sense of an imperative (see Chapter 19), e.g. Lui dire(line 36)


• after a preposition, e.g. sans savoir(lines 6–7); pour... rattraper(line 35)


• as complement to a noun, most usually preceded by de, e.g. façon de parler(line 7); le don
  de percevoir et de prononcer(lines 26–7); manière de regarder(lines 51–2 and 54–5),

Note that in the latter two cases English would use a verb form in ‘-ing’, e.g. ‘without knowing’,

‘way of speaking’. The infinitive is used in French in many such instances; the French present

participle is relatively rarely used (see below).

b Used after another verb
Following the verb directly with no preposition

• after a modal verb (see Chapter 24), e.g. Nous avons tous pu observer(lines 11–12); peut
  m’apprendre(line 41)


• after a verb of perception, e.g. observer... des enfants... jouer ensemble, discuter et même
  revenir(lines 12–15); L’enfant entend parler(line 20). Here again French uses an infinitive
  where English would again use a verb form in ‘-ing’, e.g. ‘see children playing, talking.. .’

c Preceded by àand de

• after a verb of ‘helping’ or ‘encouraging’ and preceded by the preposition à, e.g. l’aidera...
  à mémoriser(line 23)


• after a verb of ‘telling’, ‘ordering’ or ‘advising’ and preceded by the preposition de, e.g. Lui
  dire de ne pas baisser les bras(line 36)
  NoteFor more information on verbs which take àand debefore an infinitive see Chapter 23.

2 FORM

The infinitive is the form in which a verb is listed in the dictionary. In English the infinitive is
formed from ‘to’ + verb, e.g. ‘to go’. In French, the infinitive is distinguished by its ending. There
are fourinfinitive endings:

• -er, e.g. parler(line 7)


• -ir, e.g. revenir(line 15)


• -re, e.g. dire(line 32)


• -oir(e), e.g. percevoir(line 27), boire

The infinitive and present participle 141