povi / voli / devi + Infinitive

Can, Want and Must

Level 2

Povi, voli and devi take another verb in the -i form.

How It Works

VerbMeaningExample
povican, be able toMi povas veni.
voliwantNi volas iri.
devimust, have toVi devas atendi.

These three verbs take the usual endings: mi povas, ŝi povis, ni povos. The verb after them always stays in the -i form, whatever the tense: Ni volas iri, Ni volis iri, Ni volos iri.

The person who can, wants or must is also the person who does the second verb. Esperanto uses the plain -i form where English says to: want to go is voli iri.

Put ne before povas or volas to say cannot or do not want: Ana ne povas veni. Be careful with ne devas: in Zamenhof's usage it usually means must not, though many speakers today also use it for do not have to. To say clearly that you do not have to do something, use ne bezonas.

Examples (5)

  1. Mi povas lerni Esperanton.

    I can learn Esperanto.

    Lerni is the -i form after povas.

  2. Ni volas iri al la kongreso.

    We want to go to the congress.

    Voli takes iri with no word for to.

  3. Vi devas atendi, Kofi.

    You must wait, Kofi.

    Devas is followed by atendi.

  4. Ĉu vi povas paroli malrapide?

    Can you speak slowly?

    A ĉu question keeps the -i form after povas.

  5. Ana ne povas veni hodiaŭ.

    Ana cannot come today.

    Ne stands before povas.

Common Mistakes

  • Adding a verb ending to the second verb.

    Mi povas lernas Esperanton.
    Mi povas lerni Esperanton.

    After povas the second verb stays in the -i form. Only the first verb shows the tense.

  • Adding al before the second verb.

    Ni volas al iri.
    Ni volas iri.

    After these verbs Esperanto uses no word for the English to. The -i ending does that job.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

povi / voli / devi + InfinitiveLevel 2Can, Want and Must

Learn This First

These three verbs are followed by a second verb in the infinitive.

Learn Next

Patterns that build on this one.