Личный инфинитив

The personal infinitive is an inflected infinitive which, although it is unique to Portuguese, need not worry the student, for whom it simplifies syntax. In some cases, for instance, it can replace the more complicated subjunctive.

The formation of the personal infinitive is the same for all verbs, without exception. It is an infinitive with personal endings to indicate the person to whom the infinitive refers. It has only one set of endings, whether the verb is regular or irregular, and it can be used with subject pronouns.

The personal infinitive

SINGULAR PLURAL

1st person eu falar falar mos

2nd person (familiar) falares falar em

2nd person (informal) você falar

3rd person ele/ela falar fala rem

Uses of the personal infinitive

1 in place of the subjunctive

The personal infinitive can replace the subjunctive after verbs of commanding, requesting and emotion, provided that the conjunction is replaced with a preposition. (See Uses of the subjunctive mood in section 40.)

In the conjunctions antes que and depois que, the que is replaced with the preposition de. (This does not apply to the conjunctions contanto que, embora que, mesmo que, ainda que, se bem que, logo que, a não que, all of which need to use the subjunctive.)

subjunctive: Ela pediu para que lhe telefonássemos.

pers inf: Ela pediu para lhe telefonarmos.

She asked us to telephone him.

subjunctive: Vou sair antes que chova.

pers inf: Vou sair antes de chover.

I am going out before it rains.

The personal infinitive can also replace the subjunctive in impersonal expressions and after such verbs as surpreender, agradar, estranhar, ter pena, lamentar, recear. In these cases, it requires no preposition:

subjunctive: É pena que não estejam aqui.

pers inf: É pena não estarem aqui.

It's a shame they are not here.

subjunctive: É bom que eles vão dar uma volta.

pers inf: É bom irem dar uma volta.

It's a good idea for them to go for a walk.

The personal infinitive can replace the subjunctive in adverbial clauses. For example:

subjunctive: Partiram sem que lhes disséssemos adeus.

pers inf: Partiram sem lhes dizermos adeus.

They left without our saying goodbye to them

subjunctive: Não te perdoo até que tu me peças perdão.

pers inf: Não te perdoo até tu me pedires perdão.

I am not forgiving you until you apologise.

Notice that in the above examples, subordinate clauses containing a subjunctive are always introduced by que, whereas those containing a personal infinitive are not.

3 To express 'on doing something'

The personal infinitive is a simple and convenient way of expressing the English construction 'on' + present participle. It can be used in combination with past, present and future tenses. For example:

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