View source for Infinitives in Norwegian

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===Infinitives===
The notion ''infinitive'' can be used referring both to a given type of ''form'' of a verb, and to certain types of verb constructions, or clauses. 

Uses of the ''form'' ''infinitive'' are described in [[Sentence syntax - Norwegian]], section '''''Auxiliary verbs and main verbs'''''.

'''Infinitival clauses''' are introduced by the infinitival marker '''''å''''', they have no subject, and their ''first'' verb is in ''infinitive'' form. They otherwise have the same internal build-up as finite subordinate clauses, and can serve as constituent or part of constituent in a clause, as in the following example, where the infinitival clause serves as part of the '''Oblique''' constrituent ''om å måtte bli skjenket et sverd'':  

(1)  Infinitival clause exhibiting clausal structure:
<Phrase>23136</Phrase>
                                   Inf-mark  Modal      Passive   Vmain                 DirectObject
 Subject Vmain            Oblique

Given this parallellism, one may subsume finite and infinitival subordinate clauses alike under the notion ''subordinate clauses''. (Other languages also display subordinate structures built around ''participial'' forms, those built around present participles often called ''gerunds'', and those built around past participles as ''absolutives''; since these types only to a very limited extent can be used in Norwegian, we don't include them in this enumeration.)

Not all occurences of infinitives count as clauses: the occurrences of infinitival forms following ''modals'' (see above) are not counted as constituting separate clauses. 

Infinitival forms following ''modals'' are also not preceded by '''å'''. Further types of occurrence of infinitives without '''å''' are seen in constructions like the following.

In (2), the 'omission' of '''å''' may be seen as connected to the governing verb ''be'' ('ask'), contrasting for instance with the otherwise parallel verb ''befale'' ('order'), which requires '''å''', as in ''Jeg befaler deg å komme'' ('I order you to come').

(2)
<Phrase>422022</Phrase>

The pattern in (3) is used by a small group of verbs like ''se'' ('see'), ''høre'' ('hear'), ''føle'' ('feel'), ''kjenne'' ('sense'):

(3)
<Phrase>422023</Phrase>

In both cases, what follows the main verb has a clausal content, that is, 'I ask her ''that she comes'' ' in (2) and 'I see ''that she comes'' ' in (3). Although infinitive clauses with clausal content generally use the '''å'''-marker, there are thus some verb-dependent cases where this is not so.

The infinitive marker '''å''', corresponding to English ''to'', is pronounced in the same way as the coordination marker '''og''', corresponding to English ''and''. They cannot be used one for the other. (See also [[Coordination marking in Norwegian]].)


An extensive overview of infinitival constructions can be downloaded here:


[[File:PDFdownload.jpeg|thumb|50px|left|[[Media:Norwegian infinitive constructions Sept082014.pdf| Hellan, L.: Infinitive construction types in Norwegian. An inventory. Sept. 04, 2014 ''']]]]














===Related pages===
[[Sentence syntax - Norwegian]]

[[Subject-Verb Inversion in Norwegian]]

[[Sentence adverbials in Norwegian]] 

[[Verb Complementation - Norwegian]]

[[Past and Perfective patterns in Norwegian]]

[[Definite determiners in Norwegian]]

[[Personal pronouns in Norwegian]]

[[Reflexives - Norwegian]]

[[The Noun Phrase - Norwegian]]

[[Agreement in Norwegian noun phrases]]

[[Possessive constructions in Norwegian]]

[[Gender in Norwegian nouns]]

[[Coordination marking in Norwegian]]

[[Reflexive verbs in Norwegian]]

[[Verb - Preposition expressions in Norwegian]]



--[[User:Lars Hellan|Lars Hellan]] ([[User talk:Lars Hellan|talk]]) 22:22, 28 January 2016 (CET)

[[Category:Norwegian Grammar]]

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