infinitive form
Verb's base state
The infinitive form is a verb's base or dictionary form, typically appearing with "to": to run, to think, to be.
It names the action without specifying tense, person, or number.
Infinitives function as nouns, adjectives, or adverbs: To err is human, a book to read, too tired to continue.
The bare infinitive drops "to" after certain verbs: Let me help, I saw him leave.
- verbAction-expressing word
- rootUnderground absorbing structure
- nominalizationConverting words to nouns
- wordLinguistic meaning unit
- conjugationVerb form variation system
tense · sentence · unmarked · clause · split · to go · hard to say · action · purpose · in order to · grammar · to be · stem · read · bare · speak · voice · parse
verb conjugation status
infinitive formpast tense
Verb form for before
present tense · future tense · preterite · imperfect · perfect tense