en_uag/content/infinitive.rst

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:github_url: https://git.door43.org/unfoldingWord/en_uag/src/branch/master/content/infinitive.rst
.. _infinitive:
Infinitive
==========
Summary
-------
The infinitive is a non-finite verbal form that usually functions as a verbal complement, providing extra
information regarding the purpose, result, or temporal frame of the
verbal action of the main verb. In rare cases, the infinitive
functions independently as a noun.
Article
-------
The infinitive generally functions as a verbal complement to a
:ref:`finite verb<verb-finite>`,
but in rare cases it also functions independently as a :ref:`noun<noun>`.
The infinitive generally has only one
form in each
:ref:`stem formation<stem>`
(Pe'al, Pa'el, etc.), and it does not conjugate according to
person, gender, or number as do the finite verb forms.
Form
----
.. csv-table:: Infinitive Paradigm
:header-rows: 1
Parsing,Aramaic,Transliteration,Gloss
Pe'al,מִכְתַּב,mikhtabh,"to write"
Hithpe'el,הִתְכְּתָבָה,hithkethabhah,"to write oneself"
Pa'el,כַּתָּבָה,kattabhah,"to write down"
Hithpa'al,הִתְכַּתָּבָה,hithkattabhah,"to write oneself down"
Haphel,הַכְתָּבָה,hakhtabhah,"to cause to write"
The infinitive construct is not found in the :ref:`Hophal<stem_hophal>` or :ref:`Pual<stem_pual>` stems in
Biblical Aramaic.
Function
--------
The infinitive construct can carry the following range of meanings.
Expresses purpose, result, or complementary action of a main verb (with preposition לְ)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This is by far the most common use of the infinitive construct, as a
standard grammatical infinitive.
.. note:: The infinitive construct can also
be used with other prepositions to complement the main verb (such as the
preposition עַל in the example below).
In the following example, the infinitive is expressing
purpose for the action of the main verb.
In the following example, the infinitive is expressing
the result of the action of the main verb.
In the following example, the infinitive is expressing
the complementary action of the main verb.
Functions as a :ref:`noun<noun>`
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The infinitive construct sometimes functions as an independent noun.
The infinitive construct may also introduce an entire clause that functions
as a noun.
Regarding use with a :ref:`pronominal suffix<suffix_pronominal>`
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When the infinitive takes a pronominal suffix, that suffix can
be either the subject or the object of the infinitive itself (not the
main verb), as determined by the context.
The following example is an infinitive construct with suffix as *subject*
of the action.
The following example is an infinitive construct with suffix as *object*
of the action.