sen / krom + Infinitive

Without Doing, Except Doing

Level 4

Use the plain infinitive after sen and krom.

How It Works

PatternExampleMeaning
sen + infinitiveHiro eliris sen preni la ŝlosilon.Hiro went out without taking the key.
sen + infinitiveSen lerni la vortojn oni ne povas paroli.Without learning the words, one cannot speak.
krom + infinitiveKion oni povas fari ĉi tie krom promeni?What can one do here besides walk?

Sen followed by an infinitive was once called a mistake, and Zamenhof himself spoke against it. Today it is common, and PMEG calls it logical and useful. Many writers use a noun instead: sen helpo (without help).

Krom before an infinitive often follows words like nenion (nothing) and alia (other): Mi havas nenion por fari krom atendi.

Do not use a participle after sen. English "without saying" is sen diri.

Examples (5)

  1. Ana foriris sen diri adiaŭ.

    Ana left without saying goodbye.

    Sen diri names the action that did not happen.

  2. Sen lerni la vortojn oni ne povas paroli.

    Without learning the words, one cannot speak.

    The phrase with sen can start the sentence.

  3. Mi ne havas alian elekton krom atendi.

    I have no other choice but to wait.

    Krom atendi names the only possible action.

  4. Hiro eliris sen preni la ŝlosilon.

    Hiro went out without taking the key.

    The same person goes out and does not take the key.

  5. Kion oni povas fari ĉi tie krom promeni?

    What can one do here besides walk?

    Krom promeni means in addition to walking.

Common Mistakes

  • Using a participle after sen, as English does with -ing.

    Ana foriris sen dirante adiaŭ.
    Ana foriris sen diri adiaŭ.

    After sen the verb is a plain infinitive, not a participle.

How It Connects

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

sen / krom + InfinitiveLevel 4Without Doing, Except Doing

Learn This First

Sen and krom take an infinitive in the same way anstataŭ does.