Dative subject with infinitive

Level 6Sounds Like datelʹnyj subʺekta pri infinitive

The Dative Subject + Infinitive construction (e.g., 'Мне не уйти') is a powerful impersonal way to express modality—like fate, impossibility, or strict commands—without using words like 'нужно' (need) or 'можно' (can).

How It Works

This pattern, known as the инфинитивное предложение с дательным субъекта, is used to convey specific modal nuances:

Necessity and Obligation: In positive sentences, it expresses a scheduled or unavoidable action (e.g., 'Мне завтра ехать в город' - 'I have to go to town tomorrow').
Deliberative Questions: It is the standard way to ask what one should do or how to proceed (e.g., Что мне делать? - 'What am I to do?').
Impossibility: When used with не and a perfective verb, it suggests the subject is physically or circumstantially unable to perform the action.
Inevitability/Fate: It often describes something destined to happen (e.g., 'Быть беде!' - 'There will be trouble!').
Formal Orders: In administrative Russian, it functions as a stern command (e.g., 'Комиссии рассмотреть...' - 'The commission is to consider...').
Strong Desire: When paired with the particle бы, it expresses a deep wish or inclination.

Tense markers: While the present tense uses no auxiliary, the past and future use the neuter forms было or будет (e.g., 'Мне было не уснуть' - 'I couldn't fall asleep').

Aspect Nuance:
1. Perfective + не: Impossibility ('Нам не догнать его' - 'We can't catch him').
2. Imperfective + не: Prohibition or lack of necessity ('Вам здесь не курить' - 'You are not to smoke here').

Examples (6)

Тебе не понять моей печали.
You cannot [are unable to] understand my sorrow.
Word by Word: To you not to understand my sorrow.
Uses the Dative 'тебе' and perfective infinitive to express a fundamental impossibility of understanding.
Директору подготовить отчёт к понедельнику.
The director is to prepare the report by Monday.
Word by Word: To director to prepare report by Monday.
A classic official/administrative command where the Dative indicates the person assigned the task.
Что мне делать?
What am I to do?
Word by Word: What to me to do?
A deliberative question where the dative subject asks about a necessary or appropriate course of action.
Мне завтра рано вставать.
I have to get up early tomorrow.
Word by Word: To me tomorrow early to get up.
Expresses a scheduled or unavoidable necessity in a positive sentence.
Нам бы сейчас отдохнуть у моря.
We would love to rest by the sea right now.
Word by Word: To us [particle] now to rest by sea.
The addition of 'бы' turns the Dative + Infinitive construction into a strong expression of desire.
Вам здесь не курить!
You are not to smoke here!
Word by Word: To you here not to smoke!
Using the imperfective 'курить' with negation expresses a strict prohibition.

Common Mistakes

Using the Nominative case for the subject.
Я не решить эту задачу.
Мне не решить эту задачу.
In this specific modal construction, the logical subject must be in the Dative case, not the Nominative.
'Мне не решать этот вопрос' is correct, but it means 'It is not for me to decide'.
Different MeaningМне не решать этот вопрос.
Мне не решить этот вопрос.
With the imperfective 'решать', the sentence means 'it is not my place to decide this question'. To say 'I cannot solve it', use the perfective 'решить'.

How It Connects

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

Dative subject with infinitiveLevel 6

Learn This First

To understand the dative subject with an infinitive, learners must be comfortable with the dative case (especially for personal pronouns) and the use of the infinitive. It builds on earlier impersonal constructions like 'мне нужно', extending the logic to sentences where the dative noun/pronoun functions as the logical subject of a bare infinitive to express necessity, possibility, or destiny.