Past Infinitive

Level 3

The infinito passato is used to talk about something that happened before the main event of the sentence. It is most commonly seen after the word dopo (after).

How It Works

The past infinitive is a non-finite verb form used to describe an action that happened before the action of the main verb. It is essential for expressing a sequence of events.

1. Formation:
It is formed using the infinitive of the auxiliary verb (avere or essere) and the past participle of the main verb:

Avere + Participle: avere mangiato (having eaten)
Essere + Participle: essere andato/a (having gone)

2. Reflexive Verbs:
For reflexive verbs, the reflexive pronoun attaches to the end of the auxiliary essere, which then undergoes truncation: essersi alzato (having gotten up).

3. The 'Same Subject' Rule:
In implicit subordinate clauses (using 'dopo' or 'per'), the past infinitive can generally only be used when the subject of the infinitive is the same as the subject of the main verb. For example: Dopo aver mangiato, (io) sono uscito. (After eating, I went out).

4. Truncation (Apocope):
The final '-e' of avere or essere is often dropped for euphony (aver mangiato, esser stato). While this is common and sounds more natural, it is optional in most cases. However, it is mandatory when attaching a clitic pronoun to the auxiliary: Dopo averlo visto... (After having seen it...).

5. Key Uses and Contrasts:

After 'Dopo': Italian uses the past infinitive after 'dopo': Dopo aver finito il lavoro... (After finishing the work...).
Contrast with 'Prima di': Note that while prima di usually takes the present infinitive (Prima di uscire), the past infinitive is used after 'dopo' (Dopo essere uscito).
Causal (Per): To explain a reason for a past action: Grazie per essere venuto (Thanks for having come).

6. Agreement:

With Essere: The past participle must follow the agreement rules for gender and number: Dopo esser tornata a casa, Maria ha dormito.
With Direct Object Pronouns: When using avere, the past participle must follow the agreement rules for direct object pronouns if they are attached to the auxiliary: Dopo averla vista... (After having seen her...).

Examples (4)

Dopo aver finito i compiti, sono uscito.
After having finished my homework, I went out.
Word by Word: After to-have finished the homeworks, (I) am exited.
The past infinitive 'aver finito' shows that the homework was completed before the act of going out.
Scusate per non essere venuti ieri.
Sorry for not having come yesterday.
Word by Word: Excuse (you all) for not to-be come yesterday.
Here, 'essere venuti' is plural because the speaker is apologizing for a group of people.
Credo di aver capito tutto.
I think I have understood everything.
Word by Word: I believe of to-have understood everything.
The past infinitive is used here because the 'understanding' happened before or leading up to the moment of 'believing'.
Dopo essersi svegliata, ha bevuto un caffè.
After waking up, she drank a coffee.
Word by Word: After to-be-herself awakened, (she) has drunk a coffee.
With reflexive verbs, the pronoun 'si' attaches to the auxiliary 'esser', and the participle 'svegliata' agrees with the female subject.

Common Mistakes

Using the present infinitive after 'dopo'.
Dopo mangiare, guardo la TV.
Dopo aver mangiato, guardo la TV.
In Italian, 'dopo' requires the past infinitive to indicate the action is finished. 'Dopo mangiare' is a common error for English speakers.
Using the wrong auxiliary (avere vs essere).
Dopo aver andato al mercato...
Dopo essere andato al mercato...
The past infinitive follows the same auxiliary rules as the passato prossimo. Verbs of movement like 'andare' require 'essere'.
Using the past infinitive when the subjects are different.
Dopo aver mangiato Marco, io sono uscito.
Dopo che Marco ha mangiato, io sono uscito.
The infinitive construction can only be used if the subject of both actions is the same. If Marco eats and I leave, you must use a full clause with 'dopo che'.

How It Connects

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Past InfinitiveLevel 3

Learn This First

To form the past infinitive (infinito passato), you need to understand how compound tenses are constructed in Italian. This involves knowing which auxiliary verb (avere or essere) to use and how to form and agree the past participle.

Past Participle Agreement with 'essere'
When the past infinitive uses 'essere', the past participle must agree in gender and number with the subject, just like in other compound tenses.
Level 2

Sources

Practice Past Infinitive in Bubblegum

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