Questions tagged [infinitive]
Questions about verbs in their basic (unchanged) form
16
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Why do Italian road signs use the infinitive tense and not the imperative?
Why do Italian road signs use the infinitive tense in their warning, while, for example, those in English use the imperative?
Turn off lights
Spegnere le luci (and not "Spegnete le luci" or ...
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14
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2
answers
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Does Italian always use the infinitive where English uses the gerund?
A phrase like "asking questions is a sign of a curious mind" is translated in Italian as fare domande è segno di una mente curiosa; the difference is clearly that English uses the gerund where Italian ...
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10
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1
answer
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Using prepositions with present infinitives
I'm completely lost on the use of prepositions with the present infinitive and also cui/quale (they could be used the same way; I'm not sure).
I just want to point out I know how to use these grammar ...
- 103
6
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1
answer
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Usage of infinitive in instructions given by GPS
Last time when renting a car in Italy and using GPS in Italian I would constantly hear "Abbandonare la rotatoria alla prima/seconda/terza uscita".
Now I'm wondering why is abbandonare used in ...
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5
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1
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"They told me to call you" - prepositions
I think that to say "They told me to call you" would be:
"Mi hanno detto di chiamarti"
Is this correct? And if so, why do we use the preposition 'di' here?
I have seen endless 'explanations' that ...
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4
votes
1
answer
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Quali sono i verbi di seconda coniugazione che non terminano in "-ere"?
Ricordo di aver imparato alle scuole medie che i verbi italiani si dividono in tre modelli di coniugazione a seconda della desinenza dell'infinito presente: i verbi in -are nella prima coniugazione, i ...
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4
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1
answer
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Infinitive vs conjugated verb
Is there any difference between the two sentences below?
Non so se girare a sinistra o a destra.
Non so se giro a sinistra o a destra.
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3
votes
1
answer
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L'infinito usato come soggetto non forma predicato?
Su Wikipedia, per quanto riguarda l'analisi del periodo, leggo che:
l'infinito usato come soggetto non forma predicato. Esempio: "Sciare è la mia passione" è un'unica proposizione;
Ma è sempre ...
- 1,563
2
votes
1
answer
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Uses of the Infinitive
I am trying to understand how to create sentences using the infinitive after prepositions per, prima di, and senza. I am searching for examples to help me study and not coming up with anything other ...
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1
answer
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Infiniti semplici utilizzati come infiniti passivi: è possibile?
Buona sera,
Ho un dubbio grammaticale sulla parte in grassetto in questa frase tratta da Il fu Mattia Pascal:
Eppure, conoscendo Papiano, avrebbe dovuto nascermi il sospetto che, se egli si ...
- 501
1
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1
answer
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Is there a passive infinitive in Italian?
Is there a passive infinitive in Italian?
What is the passive infinitive of, e.g., amare in Italian? Verbix's conjugation says "avere amato". Is that correct or the only possibility?
Maiden &...
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1
answer
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What do you think you were doing? - infinitive/subjunctive form
AFAIK "What do you think you were doing" could be expressed using either infinitive (more usual) or subjunctive forms in Italian. Would those be:
Che cosa credi di stare facendo ?
Cosa credi che ...
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1
vote
1
answer
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Does the "si passivante" come from the Latin passive case?
Does the si passivante come from the Latin passive?
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1
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0
answers
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"farsi amare" vs. "farsi amato"
I've seen that "farsi amare" means "to make it loved", but why wouldn't that be "farsi amato"?
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0
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Did the reflexive case in Italian originate from Latin's passive case?
Did the reflexive case in Italian originate from Latin's passive case?
For example: Farsi (Latin: fari), amarsi (Latin: amari), etc.?
Rohlfs, Grammatica storica della lingua italiana (vol. 2): ...
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0
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0
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Is the reflexive infinitive really a passive infinitive?
Is the reflexive infinitive (e.g., farsi) really a passive infinitive?
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