infinitivo
/infiniˈtibo/masculine
The English word "infinitive" is translated into Spanish as infinitivo.
infinitivo is a noun used to refer to an uninflected verb form.
Meaning: uninflected verb form (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
infinitivo is a masculine noun. Its plural form is infinitivos.
How do you pronounce it?
/infiniˈtibo/
Did you know?
- When used as a command on signs or in recipes, the infinitivo acts as an impersonal imperative. A sign saying no fumar is a general prohibition for everyone rather than a direct order to one person.
- The word infinitivo shares its roots with the English word 'infinite', as both stem from the Latin 'infinitus', meaning 'unbounded' or 'unlimited'.
- Spanish allows the infinitivo to function as an adjective in specific constructions, such as una máquina de coser, where coser describes the type of machine.
Examples in context
- El infinitivo es la forma básica del verbo.The infinitive is the basic form of the verb.
- No puedes usar el infinitivo en esta frase.You cannot use the infinitive in this phrase.
- Necesito estudiar el infinitivo de este verbo.I need to study the infinitive of this verb.
Example conversation
A teacher and student are reviewing a grammar exercise.
- DanielSofía, ¿cuál es la forma correcta aquí?Sofía, what is the correct form here?
- SofíaCreo que debe ir en infinitivo.I think it should be in the infinitive.
- DanielTienes razón, Daniel está equivocado.You are right, Daniel is wrong.
- SofíaGracias por corregirme, Daniel.Thanks for correcting me, Daniel.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “infinitive” translations and entries infinitivo, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries infinitivo, CC BY-SA 4.0.
