Verbs That Need Another Verb

Level 3

A helper verb plus an infinitive finishes the thought.

How It Works

The subject does not change. The same person wants and does. When a different person does the action, Latin uses another pattern, taught at Level 4.

The infinitive often stands before the helper verb, as in scribere incipit, because Latin likes the verb near the end.

Only the helper verb changes with the person: debemus, debent. The infinitive never changes.

Marcus scribere incipit.
Marcus begins to write.
Incipit needs scribere to finish the idea.
Iulia saltare cupit.
Iulia wants to dance.
Cupit is followed by the infinitive saltare.
Pueri in foro ludere solent.
The boys usually play in the forum.
Solent means are accustomed to.
Debemus Deum laudare.
We ought to praise God.
Debemus is followed by laudare, and Deum is the object of laudare.
Audemus dicere.
We dare to say.
These words lead into the Our Father at Mass. Audemus is the we form of audeo, dare.

Putting the second verb in a personal form.
Marcus scribit incipit.
Marcus scribere incipit.
The second verb must be the infinitive: scribere.
Using ad before the infinitive, as English uses to.
Marcus incipit ad scribere.
Marcus scribere incipit.
Latin does not use ad with the infinitive. The infinitive alone means to write.

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

Verbs That Need Another VerbLevel 3

The best-known verbs that need an infinitive are possum and volo.

Patterns that build on this one.

possumvolodebeocupioincipiosoleoaudeo

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