Going to Do: Purpose With the Infinitive

Level 4

go or come + infinitive: to do.

How It Works

The infinitive shows purpose after ga “go” and bịa “come”.

Say	Meaning
Ọ gara ịzụta nri.	He or she went to buy food.
Anyị bịara ịgụ akwụkwọ.	We came to study.
Ha gara ịhụ nne ha.	They went to see their mother.

Only the second verb is in the infinitive. The first verb carries the tense and the subject. The infinitive keeps its object right after it, and the whole pair answers the question “why”. Use it to give a reason for going.

Examples (3)

Ọ gara ịzụta nri.
He or she went to buy food.
Ịzụta says why.
Anyị bịara ịgụ akwụkwọ.
We came to study.
Ịgụ says why.
Ha gara ịhụ nne ha.
They went to see their mother.
Ịhụ is see.

How It Connects

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

Going to Do: Purpose With the InfinitiveLevel 4

Learn This First

The infinitive says why after a verb of motion, so the infinitive comes first.

The Infinitive
Know the infinitive, because it is what follows the verb of motion: Ọ gara ịzụta nri “he or she went to buy food”.
Level 4

Words in This Pattern

Practice Going to Do: Purpose With the Infinitive in Bubblegum

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