verbs: the infinitive construct. the infinitive construct in english, the infinitive is usually...

Verbs: The Infinitive Construct

The Infinitive Construct

In English, the infinitive is usually preceded by “to”, for example:• to walk• to talk• to laugh• to take

She wants to walk to the store.He went to talk to the man.They tried to climb Mt. Everest.I’m going to take Hebrew 331 next semester.

No person, number or gender.

She wants to walk.He wants to walk.They want to walk.We all want to walk.


No person, number or gender.

No past, present, or future tense (which is where we get the first part of the name)

Past: In the past, I tried to take Hebrew 331, but I couldn’t get in.

Present: Right now, I want to take Hebrew 331, but I don’t quite know enough.

Future: In the future, I plan to take Hebrew 331 because I want to be able to read the Bible in its original language.

Infinite Time = Infinitive Construct


Usually, infinitive constructs are coupled with another verb.

She wants to walk.He wants to walk.They want to walk.We all want to walk.

We tried to hike up to 18,500 feet, but the weather was too harsh.

He convinced the Sherpas to stand in his picture with him.

Our group travelled far to accomplish our goal.

I wanted to eat but I was too nauseous from altitude sickness.

I bought a native dress to wear when we give our fireside to the youth.


In Hebrew, the Infinitive Construct can also act as a noun.

Usually, when an Infinitive Construct acts as a noun, it ends with “-ing”

Hiking to base camp is very difficult.orTo hike to base camp is very difficult.

Running is great training for the Everest base camp hike.

Praying can be done by spinning prayer bells in the Himalayas.

Flying into Lukla was the most frightening part of the whole trip.

Stuffing the Yaks’ bells keeps them quiet during the night.

Buying apple pie at base camp was an unexpected treat.


Let’s try to make this next point very clear…

��ת�ב Imperative (ms)כ

��ת�ב Infinitive Constructכ

(you) write!

to write, writing

Identical!Use Context to Determine a Translation


InfinitiveConstruct

Imperative (2ms)

to write/writing ��ת�ב כ ��ת�ב כ (you) write

to remember/remembering �כ�ר ז �כ�ר ז (you) remember

to eat/eating אכ�ל אכ�ל (you) eat

to stand/standing ע�מ�ד ע�מ�ד (you) stand

to call/calling ק�ר�א ק�ר�א (you) call

Wait—what’s going on with that last word?

The imperative ק�ר�א maintains the vowel change (qamets) brought about by the presence of a III-א. The infinitive construct vowel pattern is shewa-holem despite the presence of the III-א.

Let’s look at some examples on pg. 127 of Lambdin.


Infinitive Construct = ConstructionWe can build prefixes and suffixes onto Infinitive Constructs.

Prefixes - to add Prepositions Suffixes - to add Pronominal Suffixes

��ת�ב�י כ my writing � ��ת�ב�נו כ our writing

� ��ת�ב�ך כ your (ms) writing ��ת�ב�כ�ם כ your (mp) writing

� ��ת�ב�ך כ your (fs) writing ��ת�ב�כ�ן כ your (fp) writing

��ת�בו� כ his writing ��ת�ב�ם כ their writing

��ת�כ�ה� כ her writing ��ת�ב�ן כ their writing

Infinitive construct with pronominal suffixes

as a subject:

as an object: ��ת�ב�י כ writing me � ��ת�ב�נו כ writing us

� ��ת�ב�ך כ writing (ms) you ��ת�ב�כ�ם כ writing (mp) you

� ��ת�ב�ך כ writing (fs) you ��ת�ב�כ�ן כ writing (fp) you

��ת�בו� כ writing him ��ת�ב�ם כ writing them

��ת�כ�ה� כ writing her ��ת�ב�ן כ writing them

They are identical – context!Note the vowel change.


An indefinite noun that directly follows an infinitive construct can serve as either the subject or the object of the verb. For example:

��ת�ב א�יש writing a man (or) a man’s writing כ

The above example is ambiguous and requires context to determine a proper translation. When the noun is definite, the presence of the definite object marker א�ת indicates the noun’s place as the object of the verb. For example:

��ת�ב א�ת־ה�א�יש writing the man (or) (to) write the man (object) כ

��ת�ב ה�א�יש the man’s writing (subject) כ


�ר�י א�ת־ה�א�יש ש��מ� my observing the man

ה�א�יש� ש��מ�ר א�ת�י the man observing me

א�ת�ימ�צ�או� his finding me

my calling him ק�ר�א�י א�תו�

�ה ל�ב��ח�ר מ�ק�נ to choose cattle

"י ל�ב��ח�ר א�ת־מ�ק�נ to choose my cattle

ל�ש��מ�ר א�ת־ה"ת�ו�ר�ה to keep the law

ש��מ�רו� א�ת־ה"ת�ו�ר�ה his keeping the law

The use of pronouns with infinitive constructs is slightly more complex. The following examples provide some clarification for possible translations:


Combined together, the infinitive phrase can be any of the following things.

1. The subject of a sentence. For example:

It is good to keep the law. (or) To keep the law is טו�ב ל�ש��מ�ר א�ת־ה"ת�ו�ר�הgood.

2. The object of the preposition. For example:

until my calling him ע"ד־ק�ר�א�י א�תו�

3. The object of the verb. For example:

�י ל�ב��ח�ר �כ�ל�ת� י"י א�ת־מ�ק�נ

I was able to choose my cattle.


Prefixes - building a preposition onto an Infinitive Construct:

Often, the infinitive construct is prefixed with �� or ,(to, for) ל� ,(in, by, with) ב .(like, as, according as) כ

When�� and ב are prefixed to an infinitive construct, the result is an adverbial clause כ that is usually temporal in meaning. For example:

��ת�בו� ��כ when he wrote כ

דו� when (while) he stood ב��ע�מ�

In these instances, �� and ב .have the same translation value, and each is commonly used כHowever, certain verbs, such as מ"ע�� prefer ,ש . כ


ל�ב��ח�ר ב��א he came to choose

�י �כ�ל�ת� ל�א יל�ב��ח�ר

I could not choose

When ל� is prefixed to an infinitive construct, the meaning is an expression of purpose, result or goal. For example:

�יל� not to choose evil ב��ח�ר ר�ע�הב�ל�ת�

�יל� ש��ב�ר ב�ל�ת�א�ת־ה"ת�ו�ר�ה

not to break the law

Instead of using לו� to negate the infinitive construct, י� before the ל� is prefixed with the preposition ב��ל�ת�infinitive construct. For example:

verbs: the infinitive construct. the infinitive construct in english, the infinitive is usually...

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