Infinitives as Subjects
Að læra íslensku tekur tíma. (Learning Icelandic takes time.) The whole phrase að læra íslensku is the subject.
How It Works
As a subject. Að læra íslensku tekur tíma. Að synda er góð hreyfing. Starting with the infinitive sounds a little weighty, like a saying or a sign. In conversation, það usually takes the first place and the infinitive moves to the end (placeholder það): Það er bannað að reykja hér. See also það er + adjective + að.
As an object. Many verbs take an að-infinitive as their object: Ég reyni að tala íslensku. Hún lofaði að koma. Ég gleymdi að hringja.
With finnast. mér finnst + adjective + að-infinitive gives your opinion of an activity: Mér finnst gaman að elda. Mér finnst erfitt að vakna snemma.
Keep að. An infinitive used as a subject or object needs að. The infinitive drops að after a few verbs, such as vilja, munu, skulu and mega (Ég vil læra íslensku), and after sjá and heyra (Ég sá hann koma). geta is different: it takes the supine, Ég get lært íslensku.
No -ing noun. The present participle in -andi is not used for an action as a noun. Say að lesa for reading. lesandi means a reader.
Examples (6)
- Að læra íslensku tekur tíma.
Learning Icelandic takes time.
Word by Word: To learn Icelandic takes time.
- Mér finnst gaman að elda.
I enjoy cooking.
Word by Word: To-me finds fun to cook.
- Það er bannað að reykja hér.
Smoking is not allowed here.
Word by Word: It is forbidden to smoke here.
- Ég gleymdi að hringja í mömmu.
I forgot to call Mom.
Word by Word: I forgot to ring in Mom.
- Að synda er góð hreyfing.
Swimming is good exercise.
Word by Word: To swim is good exercise.
- Mér finnst erfitt að vakna snemma.
I find it hard to wake up early.
Word by Word: To-me finds hard to wake early.
Common Mistakes
Leaving out að.
Læra íslensku tekur tíma.Að læra íslensku tekur tíma.An infinitive used as a subject needs að in front of it.
Using the -andi form like an English -ing noun.
Syndandi er góð hreyfing.Að synda er góð hreyfing.syndandi is a participle meaning swimming along. For an activity used as a noun, use að + infinitive.
Dropping að after an adjective.
Mér finnst gaman elda.Mér finnst gaman að elda.After gaman, erfitt and similar words, the activity is an að-infinitive.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Infinitive subjects build on það er gott að.
Related Patterns
- að + InfinitiveThe Infinitive with Að
The basic infinitive form this pattern uses.
Level 1 - The Placeholder það
Why það can take the first place while the infinitive moves to the end.
Level 3 - mér finnstOpinions (Mér Finnst)
Mér finnst gaman að elda gives an opinion about an activity.
Level 1 - Present Participles (-andi)
The -andi form, which is not used as an -ing noun.
Level 4 - það aðThe Fact That (Það Að)
How a whole clause, not just an infinitive, can act as a noun.
Level 5
Words in This Pattern
Practice Infinitives as Subjects in Bubblegum
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