When we refer to the nominal forms, then we refer to the elements composed by the triad – infinitive, gerund and participle. But such a concept alone is not sufficient for our knowledge, as, in fact, we also need to understand why they are called nominal.
There are two particularities that characterize them as such. The first resides in the fact that, in certain contexts, they assume the value of nouns, that is, of nouns, adjectives or verbs. Let's observe:
Friends invited us to dinner.
In this case, we have the verb in its original form – the infinitive.
Dinner is served.
Here it already occupies the position of noun.
Another factor is that they do not express neither the time nor the verbal mode, diverging, therefore, from the others.
Paying attention to the peculiarities inherent to the infinitive, one of the main ones is that it represents the verb in its original form, taking into account the three endings (AR, ER, IR) – love, sell, leave.
But what about bending? Since the grammatical class that has the most inflections is verbs? This is what we will see later, based on the assumption that the infinitive is subdivided into personal and impersonal. Personal when it does not refer to the people in the speech, and personal, as the name itself portrays, refers to them, that is, it is subject to inflection, with the exception of the 1st and 3rd singular persons.
for the personal infinitive
The same does not flex when:
* The verb is used indefinitely, assuming the noun value:
Exercising is critical for health.
* The infinitive has an imperative value:
Recognize one's mistakes.
* Ruled by the preposition "de", complements an adjective and assumes passive value:
That family had a difficult time to forget. (of being forgotten)
* Ruled by a preposition, it works as a complement to a noun, adjective or verb from the previous sentence:
Students are willing to compete.
I managed to convince them to accept.
* Appears as the main verb of a verbal phrase:
We need to unite so that we can face our opponents in competitions.
* Used in a reduced sentence that complements an auxiliary causative verb (let, command, do) or sensitive (see, feel, hear, perceive), and has an oblique pronoun as subject:
Let them sing.
They heard us arrive.
for the personal infinitive
* The same is inflected when there is a different subject from the previous sentence:
I believe you are the winners of the Olympics.
* Inflection becomes optional when the reduced clause that complements an auxiliary (causative or sensitive) presents a noun as a subject:
Let the fans applaud (or applaud) the fans.
Hear the musicians sing (or sing).
The other case is with the verb to seem:
The boys seem to like (seems to like) the movie.
* It is not inflected when the subject of the reduced infinitive clause is the same as the previous clause:
Candidates will go to the organizing committee to present their proposal.
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By Vânia Duarte
Graduated in Letters
Brazil School Team
Grammar - Brazil School
Would you like to reference this text in a school or academic work? Look:
DUARTE, Vânia Maria do Nascimento. "The infinitive – An inflected nominal form? "; Brazil School. Available in: https://brasilescola.uol.com.br/gramatica/o-infinitivouma-forma-nominal-flexionada.htm. Accessed on July 27, 2021.