Infinitive phrases in German. Infinitive and participial constructions Infinitive groups and constructions in German

The infinitive phrase refers to the impersonal form

The adjectives listed here are often used with the impersonal pronoun es. As a rule, this construction is translated into Russian as an impersonal sentence without a subject.

For example: Es ist nahezu unmoglich, wie ein Profi zu spielen. It's almost impossible to play like a pro.

Infinitives and participles, together with the words explaining them, form infinitive groups, infinitive and participial phrases. Infinitives, infinitives and participles in German are common members of a sentence. They can perform a variety of functions in a sentence, acting as a subject, predicate, object, various circumstances. In writing, infinitive groups, infinitive and participial phrases in German are usually distinguished by commas.

The infinitive group that comes first in a German sentence is not separated by a comma:

Infinitive groups in German, their use
and translation into Russian

In infinitive groups in German, the leading word is the verb in the infinitive, which is always at the end of the group. The infinitive is usually preceded by the particle zu:

If a verb with a separable prefix is ​​used, then the particle zu stands between the prefix and the root of the verb:

Infinitive groups in German depend on:
• from verbs:

• from adjectives:

• from nouns:

Infinitive groups can be at the beginning, at the end and within a German sentence. They are used most often in the function of the subject, predicate, object, definition.

For example:
1. Es ist schwer, in unserer Bibliothek ein neues Buch zu leihen (the infinitive group is used as a subject: Was ist schwer?).
2. Sie beschlossen, ihren Urlaub in den Bergen zu verbringen (the infinitive group is used in the complement function: Was beschlossen sie?).
3. Unser Versprechen, Ihnen oft zu schreiben, haben wir erfüllt (the infinitive group is used in the definition function: Welches Versprechen?).

The translation of the infinitive group should begin with the infinitive, and then translate the words explaining the infinitive in the order in which they appear (see above translation of examples). Only the circumstance of the mode of action is translated to the infinitive:

The correlate es before the infinitive group in the subject function is not translated.

The infinitive group is translated by a subordinate clause with the union “what (to)”, when it is used after verbs or nouns, after which it is impossible to use the infinitive in Russian, or when the infinitive form is used in the German sentence, which in Russian is either completely absent or not commonly used .

When translating the infinitive group into the function of the subject, it is possible to translate the infinitive into a noun. This translation option is used when the infinitive group in the subject function comes first in the sentence.

Infinitives and participles with dependent words form groups with a leading word - infinitive or participle and are called infinitive and participial phrases; infinitive and participial constructions, as a rule, are separated in writing by commas: Ichbeschloss,denSommeraufdemLandezuverbringen. - I decided to spend the summer in the countryside.InderStadtangekommen,fuhrendieGastegleichinihrHotel. Arriving in the city, the guests immediately went to their hotel. Infinitive and participial constructions are common members of the sentence; so, in the first example, the infinitive turnover performs the function of the complement, and the participial turnover in the second example - the function of the circumstance.

Infinitive phrases can act as a subject, complement, definition, circumstance of purpose and mode of action. The infinitive in the infinitive phrase is always at the end of the phrase. The infinitive is preceded by a particle zu , for separable verbs the particle zu placed between both components of the verb. Infinitive turns are separated from the main part of the sentence by a comma.

Infinitive turns as a subject are mostly at the end of the sentence, and the sentence begins with es, which in this case combines the functions of the input es and correlate: Esistschwer,dasjetztgenauzusagen.(Was ist schwer?) - DifficultsayNowThisexactly. Es wurde beschlossen, mit der Arbeit morgen zu beginnen. (Was wurde beschlossen?) - WasdecidedbeginworkTomorrow. Es gelang mir, ihn zu überzeugen. (wasgelanges?) - I managed to convince him.

Infinitive turns in the complement function are at the end of the sentence. They are used: a) after verbs, b) verbal set phrases and c) after adjectives as a predicative: A)Erhatvergessen,Michheuteanzurufen.(Was hat er vergessen?) - Heforgotto meTodaycall. b) Er hat Angst, zur Vorlesung zu spät zu kommen. (Wovor hat er Angst?) - Hefearsbe lateonlecture. V) Er ist bereit, Ihren Wunsch zu erfüllen. (Wozuisterbereit?) - He is ready to fulfill your request.

Infinitive turns in the function of definition are, as a rule, after verbal nouns; they can be either at the end or in the middle of a sentence: Ichschreibemitdemwunsch,IhreMeinungzuerfahren. I am writing to ask your opinion.Mein Wunsch, Deutschland zu besuchen, geht bald in Erfüllung.- MywishvisitGermanysooncome true.

A definable noun can be separated from an infinitive by an invariable part of the predicate: Ichhabemitdemwunschgeschrieben,IhreMeinungzuerfahren.

Infinitive constructions in the function of the circumstance of the goal are introduced using um (the so-called turnovers with um... zu ). All words dependent on the infinitive are placed between um and infinitive with zu : Erbleibthier,umetwaszuarbeiten. (Wozubleibterhier?) - He stays here to do some work.

Pay attention to the form of the reflexive pronoun in the infinitive turnover. The form of the reflexive pronoun depends on the person in which the subject is (because the action expressed by the infinitive is performed by the subject): Ichbeginnebald , Mich daraufvorzubereiten.er beginner bald, sich darauf vorzubereiten. Wir beginnenbald, uns darauf vorzubereiten. Die Studentenbeginnen bald, sich darauf vorzubereiten. Ich habe keine Zeit, mir das anzusehen. Er hat keine Zeit, sich das anzusehen.

The form of the reflexive pronoun depends on the person in which the direct object is in the main part of the sentence (since the action expressed by the infinitive comes from the direct object): Manbatmich, Mich Danachzuerkundigen...;Man batihn, sich Danachzuerkundigen.Man bat uns, uns danach zu erkundigen. Man bat mich, mir das anzusehen.

German infinitive phrases are translated into Russian with an infinitive phrase; moreover, in Russian the infinitive usually stands at the beginning of the turnover and is not separated from the rest of the sentence by a comma: Erbat uns , ihmbei dieserArbeitzuhelfen. - He asked us to help him in this work.Wirhabengrund,deinWerkleiterberunsereSchwierigkeitenzuschreibenundihnumdienotigerhilfezubitten. - We have reason to write to the director about our difficulties and ask him for the necessary help.

When translating infinitive phrases into Russian, the following word order occurs: Wirhabengrund,ihmsofortzuschreiben. We have reason to write to him at once. We have reason to write to him at once, or:Esempfiehltsich,diesesArzneivordemEssen einzunehmen. - This medication is recommended to be taken before meals.. Infinitive turns can be translated by the so-called infinitive sentences with the union "to": Ichstrebedanach,myineKenntnisseaufdiemGebietzuvervollkommnen. - I strive to improve my knowledge in this area.Siebleibenhier,umnightetwaszuarbeiten. - They will stay here to do some more work..

Pay attention to the translation of the following German infinitive phrases into Russian infinitive sentences:

a) revolutions from ( an) statt... zu : stattnachlinkszufahren,fuhrernachrechts. - Instead of going left, he went right.

b) revolutions from um... zu standing after an adjective or adverb with genug (enough) or zu (too much). The location of the adverb is specific genug that comes after the adjective. Er ist klug genug, um das zu verstehen. - Heenoughsmart, tounderstandThis. Eristzuklug,umdasnothingzuverstehen. - He's too smart not to understand it..

c) participle turnover; participial turnover translates turnovers from Oh... zu : Ermachtees,OhneeinWortzusagen. He did it without saying a word.Er machte es, ohne ein Wort gesagt zu haben. - HedidThis, Notsayingneitherwords.

Sometimes infinitive turns are translated by a subordinate clause; usually when a German sentence uses an infinitive form that is absent or little used in Russian, or a combination of two infinitives. Er freute sich, diese Arbeit rechtzeitig gemacht zuhaben. - Hewasglad, Whatduringdidthiswork. Er freute sich, so herzlich empfangen zu werde. - Hewasglad, WhathisSocordiallyaccepted. Er freute sich, seine Freunde wiedersehen zu können. - Hewasglad, WhatMaybeagainseetheirfriends. The translation of an infinitive phrase by a subordinate clause also takes place when the German infinitive phrase comes after verbs or nouns, after which it is impossible to use an infinitive in Russian: Erglaubt,siezukennen. - He thinks he knows them.Erbehauptet,alleszuverstehen. - He claims to understand everything.

In German, infinitives and infinitive phrases are used after a wider range of verbs than in Russian; so in German infinitive turns after verbs are possible: behaupten - assert;erklaren - declare;sichruhmen - boast;leugnen - to deny;zugeben - to recognize;beteuern - to assure;gestehen - to confess;sicherinnern - remember, remember;glauben - to believe, to seem;bedauern - to regret;erinnern - remind someone;beschuldigen - to blame, etc., as well as after some nouns, for example:dasVerdienst - merit;dasBewusstsein - consciousness;dasGefuhl - feeling;derStolz - pride and etc.

German infinitive phrases can also be translated by verbal nouns with words that depend on them: Ichstrebedanach,myineKenntnisseaufdiemGebietzuvervollkommnen. - I strive to improve their knowledge in this area.

Particular attention should be paid to infinitive phrases that come first; isolating them from a sentence is difficult because they are often not separated by a comma from the rest of the sentence. Their boundary is established only by the infinitive with zu : einerichtigeAntwortaufdiesesFragezugeben,istnothingleicht. - It is not easy to give a correct answer to this question. It is not easy to give a correct answer to this question.. If the infinitive has no dependent words, it is mostly used without a particle zu and not separated by a comma: ArbeitenschutztLangeweile. - Work saves from boredom.

Note that the correlate es when translating, neither the Russian language is transmitted, but only indicates the presence of an infinitive turnover in the future. Es war nicht leicht, diesen Artikel zu übersetzen. - Wasnot easytranslatethisarticle. Jetzt war es leicht, diesen Artikel zu übersetzen. - Nowwaseasilytranslatethisarticle. Niemand hat es gern, lange zu warten.- NobodyNotlovesfor a long timewait.

The correlates expressed by the demonstrative pronominal adverb are translated into Russian by the demonstrative pronoun “that” with or without the corresponding preposition: Erstrebtedanach,sichinseinemBerufzuvervollkommnen. He strived to improve in his profession.Wir freuen uns darauf, Sie bald wiedersehen zu können. - Werejoiceto that, Whatsoonwe canagainseeyou.

Participial phrases can act as a post-positive definition, a predicative definition and circumstances. The sacrament stands at the end or at the beginning of a turnover, always in an indeclinable form. The translation of participial phrases into Russian depends on the syntactic function of the participle turnover and on the type of participle included in the turnover. Participial phrases in the role of a postpositive definition and a predicative definition are translated into Russian, as a rule, by a participial turnover: DasCollective,bestehendausdreiFacharbeiternundzweiIngenieuren,erzieltemitderneuenTechnologyeinebedeutendeProductssteigerung. - A team consisting of three workers and two engineers has achieved a significant increase in the number of products with the help of new technology.DiePolarstadtIgarka, 1928gegrundet,hattevierJahrespaterfast 2 500Einwohner - The polar city of Igarka, founded in 1928, had almost 2,500 inhabitants four years later. In all the above cases, translation by a definitive subordinate clause is also possible.

A turnover as a predicative definition can also be translated as follows: VonderzustandigenVolksvertretungbeschlossen,bestimmtdieserplandieFinanzierungallerBauobjekte. - Having been approved by the relevant people's representative body, this plan determines the financing of all construction projects.

Participial phrases in the role of circumstance are translated into Russian, as a rule, by participial phrases: DemRatdesdozentenfolded,beganneraneinemanderenthemezuarbeiten. - Following the advice of the assistant professor, he began to work on another topic.Von dieser Voraussetzung ausgehend, kann man die Frage nur so beantworten. - Proceedingfromthisbackground, onquestionCanansweronlySo.

A number of participles in the function of circumstance are frozen units; turns with these participles are quite common, some of these participles should be remembered: ausgenommen (Akk.)- with the exception of,abgesehenvon... - except,andersausgedruckt - in other words,vorausgesetzt,daß...- assuming that...,verglichenmit...- compared to...:VerglichenmitseinererstenArbeit,istdiesesArbeitVielreifer. - Compared to his first job, this job is much more more mature.

There are also less common forms Infinitiv I, II Stativ (passive state).

Infinitive I Passive is formed from the participle II of the semantic verb + the infinitive I of the auxiliary verb werden.
Infinitive II Aktiv is formed from the participle II (participle II) of the semantic verb + the infinitive I of the auxiliary verb haben or sein.
Infinitive II Passive is formed from the participle II (participle II) of the semantic verb + the infinitive II of the auxiliary verb werden.

The infinitive has a relative tense meaning: Infinitive I(present infinitive) expresses simultaneity with the action expressed by the conjugated verb;
Infinitive II(perfect infinitive) expresses the precedence of the action expressed by the conjugated verb.

In Russian there is no correspondence to the infinitive II, therefore this infinitive is usually translated into Russian by the personal form of the verb in the past tense. Infinitiv II Passiv is rarely used.

The infinitive with its dependent words forms an infinitive turnover, and the infinitive itself is at the end of the turnover. To facilitate understanding of the sentence or to avoid confusion, the infinitive phrase can be separated by a comma. (In other cases, the comma is placed at the discretion of the author.) When translating into Russian, the infinitive is first translated, and then the words dependent on it:

The use of the particle "zu" with the infinitive

The infinitive as a member of the sentence is used, as a rule, with the particle zu. In complex forms of the infinitive, the particle zu costs before the infinitive of the auxiliary verb. For verbs with a separable prefix, the particle zu is placed between the detachable prefix and the root. In some cases, a particle zu not used.

Without the particle "zu" the infinitive is used:

With the particle "zu" the infinitive is used:

The use of the particle "zu" fluctuates:

Infinitive phrases:
"um ... zu + Infinitiv", "statt ... zu + Infinitiv", "ohne ... zu + Infinitiv"

These infinitives are used in the sentence as a circumstance function. They can be at the beginning, middle or end of a sentence.

Pay attention to the word order in the sentence, when the infinitive turns in the first place: immediately after it is the inflected part of the predicate, and then the subject (reverse word order).

Constructions "haben + zu + Infinitiv", "sein + zu + Infinitiv"

Design haben + zu + infinitiv expresses an obligation and has an active meaning, that is, the subject in such a sentence is the performer of the action. This construction can be used in different tenses, the most common being Präsens, Präteritum and Futurum I.

Design sein + zu + infinitiv expresses an obligation or a possibility and has a passive meaning (that is, the subject is the object of the action). This construction can also be used in different tense forms.

Meaning possibilities this construction usually has a negation (nicht, kein, nie, etc.) or adverbs like Kaum(hardly), leicht(easily), schwer(difficult).

Some verbs with modal meaning

Some verbs, when used with the infinitive of another verb, take on a modal meaning. These verbs (except the verb lassen) require after themselves an infinitive with a particle zu.

Substantiation of the infinitive

Any infinitive can be turned into a noun. All substantiated infinitives are abstract neuter nouns and are used, as a rule, in the singular. These nouns usually refer to a process, for example: Das Lesen- reading, Das Essen- food, Das Fahren- riding, etc.