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236. The Infinitive
is that form of a Verb which expresses simply the notion of
the Verb without predicating it of any subject. In Hindi,
it is formed by adding to the bare root and is used both
as a Noun and as an Adjective.
237. (a) When
used as a Noun (usually Abstract), the Infinitive is treated
like an ordinary Noun ending in (Masc.). But, being Abstract,
it is not used in the plural :
| ܥ ؛
۾ |
`it is good
to rise early', |
| ܿ ܛܽ
ܽ ܽ ܹ |
`there is
no harm in going there', |
| ܽ ܽ
ٻܛܽ ܽ ܍ܡ |
`I saved
him form drowning'. |
(b) The Infinitive,
in spite of being a Noun, retains its verbal character and
can, therefore, take an Object :
|
ť ܛ ܬܛ ţ ۻ |
`I
like to eat fruits', |
|
ܟ ţܽ ܽ ܺ ۾ |
`he
is lazy at (doing) work', |
|
ܽ ܽ ܊ܣ ܽ ܣ ܣ |
`the
father gave him a beating for smoking a cigarette'. |
- The abstract
idea represented by an Infinitive being ``inanimate'', It
is not usual to attach ܽ when the Infinitive is used
as an object. It does, however, attach ܽ for signifying
``for the purpose of'' or ``with a view to''. THe ܽ is
occasionally replaced by ܡܽ (see 299-a); and both
ܽand ܡܽ may be omitted when the Infinitive is
followed by the Verb `come' and `go'
|
܉ܛ ۾ |
`he
is learning to write', |
|
ܝܽ ܛ ܻ ܡ |
`I
forgot to bring the books', |
| ܟ
ܺܬܽ ܥܛܽ (ܽ, , ܡܽ) ܡ |
`Ram
had come to see me', |
|
ܽ ڽܛܽ ܅ |
`I
will go to see him'. |
Note (i) Infinitives
are frequently used in combination with the root `want'
:
|
ܛ ۻ |
`I
want to go', |
|
ܡ ۾ |
`he
wants to take tea'. |
ܛ,
etc. in such sentences may be regarded as the objects of
(See 258-a).
(ii) An Infinitive
attaches ܽ when followed by the Verbs ܽ and and denotes
``about to....''.
|
ܛܽ ܽ ۾ |
`the
train is about to come', |
|
ܛܽ ܽ |
`he
was about to go'. |
238. The Infinitive
is used as an Adjective only in combination with a few Verbs
denoting obligation, necessity, requirement, compulsion etc.
ܽ, , and ܹۇ are the Verbs most frequently used
in this sense. The subject in such cases has ܽ (or in
Pronouns 97-a), and the Infinitive has , or ܽ, according
as the object is Masc. sg. or Masc. Pl. :
| ܽۛ
ܽ ܺě ڽ |
`Mohan
had to pay the fine', |
| ܺܽ
Ń ܟ ţܽ ܽ |
`I
had to do several things', |
| ܟ
ܽ ܝ ܛ ۾ |
`Ram
has to bring the book', |
| ܽ
ܽ ܽ ţ ܹۇ |
`boys
should not say things like these'. |
Note : (1) It
is not uncommon to say ܝܽ ܛ ۾, ܽ ţ
ܹۇ etc. for ܝܽ ܛ , ܽ ţ ܹۇ
etc. The latter forms are preferable. See, however, 270-b-c.
- An Infinitive
having and combined with denotes ``not willing
to.....'', ``not ready to.....''.
The Finite Verb
(۾) in such cases is omitted :
|
ܛܽ |
`he
will never go', |
|
ܟ ţܽ |
`I
am not willing to do this work'. |
For further uses
of the Infinitive, see 257-259. For Passive forms, see Chapter
XIV.
The Infinitive
forms are not to be confused with the Imperative (180-a).
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