Non-finite verbs are verbs that do not change their form based on the subject or tense. Unlike finite verbs, which indicate the tense and agree with the subject, non-finite verbs remain the same regardless of who is performing the action or when it occurs. For example, “to run,” “running,” and “run” (as a non-finite verb) are all forms of non-finite verbs.
What is a Non-Finite Verb?
A non-finite verb is a verb that does not show tense or agreement with the subject. It often appears as an infinitive (e.g., “to read”), a gerund (e.g., “reading”), or a participle (e.g., “read” or “reading” in certain contexts). Non-finite verbs are commonly used to add detail or express ideas without indicating a specific time frame. For instance, in “I like to swim,” “to swim” is an infinitive and serves as a non-finite verb.
Non-finite verb वह verb होता है जो tense या subject के अनुसार अपना रूप नहीं बदलता। यह अक्सर infinitive (जैसे, “to read”), gerund (जैसे, “reading”), या participle (जैसे, “read” या “reading”) के रूप में होता है। Non-finite verbs का प्रयोग अक्सर extra detail देने या बिना किसी specific time frame के idea को express करने के लिए किया जाता है। जैसे, “I like to swim” में “to swim” एक infinitive है और non-finite verb है।
Definition of Non-Finite Verb
A non-finite verb is defined by its lack of tense and independence from the subject’s person or number. Unlike finite verbs that change to reflect past, present, or future, non-finite verbs remain in their base form, infinitive, gerund, or participle forms. This makes them versatile in usage, as they can function as nouns, adjectives, or adverbs in sentences. Examples include “to dance” (infinitive), “dancing” (gerund), and “danced” (past participle used as an adjective).
Non-finite verb वह verb होता है जिसमें tense या subject के person या number के अनुसार बदलाव नहीं होता। Finite verbs के विपरीत, जो tense दर्शाने के लिए बदलते हैं, non-finite verbs अपने base form, infinitive, gerund, या participle में ही रहते हैं। इसका use विभिन्न sentence parts जैसे noun, adjective, या adverb के रूप में किया जा सकता है। उदाहरण के लिए, “to dance” (infinitive), “dancing” (gerund), और “danced” (past participle) हैं।
Tricky Non-Finite Verb Examples
While non-finite verbs don’t change based on tense or subject, mistakes can happen, especially with their usage in sentences. Here are some common mistakes involving non-finite verbs:
Non-finite verbs में tense या subject के अनुसार बदलाव नहीं होता, फिर भी इन्हें sentences में use करने में कुछ mistakes हो सकती हैं। यहां कुछ common mistakes के examples दिए गए हैं:
To Go / Going (Infinitive and Gerund)
Incorrect: “She went to the store for to buy groceries.”
Correct: “She went to the store to buy groceries.”
Hindi: “वह grocery खरीदने के लिए store गई।”
Note: “To” के साथ verb का base form (infinitive) use किया जाता है, और यह purpose को indicate करता है।
Swim / Swimming (Gerund)
Incorrect: “She is good at to swim.”
Correct: “She is good at swimming.”
Hindi: “वह swimming में अच्छी है।”
Note: कुछ verbs और adjectives के बाद gerund (verb में “-ing” जोड़कर) use होता है, न कि infinitive
Fix / Fixed (Past Participle as Adjective)
Incorrect: “The table is fix.”
Correct: “The table is fixed.”
Hindi: “टेबल fix हो चुका है।”
Note: जब verb adjective के रूप में use हो और किसी completed action को show करे, तो past participle (जैसे “fixed”) का use किया जाता है।
To Study / Studying (Infinitive and Gerund)
Incorrect: “I enjoy to study history.”
Correct: “I enjoy studying history.”
Hindi: “मुझे history पढ़ना पसंद है।”
Note: कुछ verbs जैसे “enjoy” के बाद gerund form (studying) का use होता है।
Non-Finite Verbs Sentences
Here are some common examples of non-finite verbs used in sentences, along with their Hindi translations:
English: “I want to learn a new language.”
Hindi: “मैं एक नई भाषा सीखना चाहता हूँ।”
English: “She enjoys dancing in her free time.”
Hindi: “उसे खाली समय में dance करना पसंद है।”
English: “They went hiking over the weekend.”
Hindi: “उन्होंने weekend में hiking की।”
English: “The broken vase was on the table.”
Hindi: “टूटी हुई vase table पर थी।”
English: “She is excited about travelling abroad.”
Hindi: “वह विदेश यात्रा के लिए उत्साहित है।”
When Do We Use Non-Finite Verbs?
Non-finite verbs are used in sentences to provide additional information without indicating a specific tense. They appear in the form of infinitives, gerunds, or participles, allowing for flexible sentence structure. For example, in “She wants to paint” or “Painting is fun,” “to paint” (infinitive) and “painting” (gerund) are non-finite verbs providing extra detail.
हम non-finite verbs का use sentences में extra information देने के लिए करते हैं, जो tense indicate नहीं करते। यह infinitives, gerunds, या participles के रूप में होते हैं। जैसे, “She wants to paint” या “Painting is fun” में “to paint” (infinitive) और “painting” (gerund) extra detail देते हैं।
Non-Finite Verb Rules
- Using Infinitives (To + Base Verb)
Infinitives are used to express purposes, intentions, or desires and are often introduced by “to” before the verb.
Example:
English: “He wants to learn French.”
Hindi: “वह French सीखना चाहता है।”
- Using Gerunds (-ing Form of the Verb)
Gerunds function as nouns and often indicate activities or interests.
Example:
English: “Swimming is her favourite activity.”
Hindi: “Swimming उसका पसंदीदा activity है।”
- Using Past Participles (Verb + -ed/-en Form)
Past participles are often used as adjectives or in passive voice constructions to describe completed actions or states.
Example:
English: “The broken window needs repair.”
Hindi: “टूटी हुई window को repair की ज़रूरत है।”
- Non-Finite Verbs in Continuous Form (Gerund)
When showing ongoing action, non-finite verbs are used in their gerund form (-ing) as part of continuous activities.
Example:
English: “She enjoys reading books.”
Hindi: “उसे किताबें पढ़ना पसंद है।”
- Non-Finite Verbs as Adjectives (Participles)
Present and past participles are used to describe nouns and add detail without indicating a specific time.
Example:
English: “The crying baby needs attention.”
Hindi: “रोता हुआ बच्चा ध्यान चाहता है।”
- Using Non-Finite Verbs with Auxiliary Verbs
Non-finite verbs can pair with auxiliary verbs for expressing intentions or forming perfect or passive forms.
Example:
English: “They might go to the concert.”
Hindi: “वह concert में जा सकते हैं।”
- Forming Negative Sentences with Infinitives and Gerunds
To negate non-finite verbs, “not” is placed before the infinitive or gerund.
Example:
English: “He decided not to go.”
Hindi: “उसने न जाने का निर्णय लिया।”
Typical Errors with Non-Finite Verbs
Using non-finite verbs accurately is essential for clear communication and to avoid common mistakes.
Non-finite verbs का सही उपयोग communication को स्पष्ट बनाता है और सामान्य गलतियों से बचाता है।
Common Errors:
1. Incorrect Infinitive Usage
A common error with non-finite verbs is using the infinitive incorrectly by either missing “to” or adding it unnecessarily.
- Example:
- Incorrect: “She helped me to finish the project.”
- Correction: “She helped me finish the project.”
- Hindi:
- गलत: “उसने मुझे project खत्म करने में मदद की।”
- सही: “उसने मुझे project finish करने में मदद की।”
- Note: कुछ verbs (जैसे “help”) के बाद infinitive में “to” की जरूरत नहीं होती है।
2. Misplacing Gerunds and Infinitives
Gerunds and infinitives have specific rules for when to use each, and they can’t always be swapped.
- Example:
- Incorrect: “I decided going to the party.”
- Correction: “I decided to go to the party.”
- Hindi:
- गलत: “मैंने party जाने का फैसला किया।”
- सही: “मैंने party जाने का निर्णय लिया।”
- Note: “decide” के बाद infinitive (“to go”) का use होता है, न कि gerund का।
3. Forgetting “-ing” in Gerunds
Sometimes, the gerund form (verb + “-ing”) is left incomplete or replaced with the base verb form.
- Example:
- Incorrect: “He is good at play basketball.”
- Correction: “He is good at playing basketball.”
- Hindi:
- गलत: “वह basketball खेलने में अच्छा है।”
- सही: “वह basketball खेलने में अच्छा है।”
- Note: “good at” phrases के बाद gerund (“playing”) use होता है।
4. Confusing Participles and Gerunds
People sometimes mix up participles and gerunds, using the wrong form in sentences.
- Example:
- Incorrect: “I saw her danced at the concert.”
- Correction: “I saw her dancing at the concert.”
- Hindi:
- गलत: “मैंने उसे concert में dance करते देखा।”
- सही: “मैंने उसे concert में dance करते देखा।”
- Note: perception verbs (“see, watch”) के बाद gerund (“dancing”) use होता है।
5. Incorrect Infinitive Structure in Negative Sentences
In negative sentences, “not” is often misplaced with infinitives, causing confusion.
- Example:
- Incorrect: “He promised to not be late.”
- Correction: “He promised not to be late.”
- Hindi:
- गलत: “उसने देर न होने का वादा किया।”
- सही: “उसने देर न करने का वादा किया।”
- Note: “not” को infinitive (“to be”) से पहले रखा जाता है।
Difference Between Finite Verbs and Non-Finite Verbs
The basic difference between finite and non-finite verbs lies in how they function within a sentence. Finite verbs change according to the subject, tense, and number, acting as the main verb in a sentence. Non-finite verbs, however, do not change with the subject or tense and cannot stand alone as the main verb. Non-finite verbs include infinitives (to + base verb), gerunds (verb + -ing used as a noun), and participles (present or past forms used as adjectives or verb forms in complex tenses).
Finite और Non-Finite Verbs के बीच मूल अंतर उनके वाक्य में उपयोग करने के तरीके में है। Finite verbs subject, tense और number के अनुसार बदलती हैं और वाक्य में मुख्य verb के रूप में कार्य करती हैं। Non-finite verbs subject या tense के अनुसार नहीं बदलतीं और मुख्य verb के रूप में अकेले खड़ी नहीं हो सकतीं। Non-finite verbs में infinitives (to + base verb), gerunds (verb + -ing जो noun की तरह उपयोग होता है) और participles (present या past forms जो adjectives या complex tenses में verb के रूप में कार्य करते हैं) शामिल होते हैं।
Comparison:
Finite Verb: “She sings beautifully.”
Hindi: “वह सुंदर गाती है।”
Non-Finite Verb (Gerund): “Singing is her passion.”
Hindi: “गाना उसका शौक है।”
Finite Verb: “They watch a movie every week.”
Hindi: “वे हर हफ्ते एक movie देखते हैं।”
Non-Finite Verb (Infinitive): “They want to watch a movie.”
Hindi: “वे एक movie देखना चाहते हैं।”
Finite Verb: “He fixed the car yesterday.”
Hindi: “उसने कल car ठीक की।”
Non-Finite Verb (Past Participle): “The fixed car is ready to go.”
Hindi: “ठीक की गई car चलने के लिए तैयार है।”
Practice Questions Related to Non-Finite Verbs
Fill in the blanks with the correct non-finite form of the verb (choose the correct option in brackets):
- She enjoys __ (to sing/singing) in the choir.
- I am planning __ (to visit/visiting) my cousin next month.
- __ (Walking/To walk) every morning is good for your health.
- They kept __ (to talk/talking) during the movie.
- __ (To travel/Travelling) abroad requires a passport.
- I like __ (to read/reading) books on weekends.
- She agreed __ (to help/helping) me with my project.
- The kids were excited about __ (to go/going) to the zoo.
- __ (Eating/To eat) too much junk food can be unhealthy.
- He refused __ (to cooperate/cooperating) with the authorities.
- __ (To exercise/Exercising) daily can boost your energy.
- She was determined __ (to win/winning) the competition.
- They are planning __ (to launch/launching) a new product soon.
- __ (Learning/To learn) new skills is important for growth.
- He continued __ (to argue/arguing) despite the warnings.
Answers:
- singing
- to visit
- Walking
- talking
- To travel
- reading
- to help
- going
- Eating
- to cooperate
- To exercise
- to win
- to launch
- Learning
- arguing
Frequently Asked Questions About Non-Finite Verbs
Q1: What is a non-finite verb?
Answer: A non-finite verb is a verb form that does not change based on the subject or tense. Non-finite verbs include infinitives (to + base verb), gerunds (verb + -ing), and participles (present or past participles). For example, in “I like to dance,” “to dance” is an infinitive and does not change with the subject or tense.
Q2: How do you use an infinitive as a non-finite verb?
Answer: An infinitive is used as a non-finite verb by combining “to” with the base form of the verb. Infinitives can function as nouns, adjectives, or adverbs in a sentence.
Example:
- “She wants to study abroad.”
- Hindi: “वह विदेश में पढ़ना चाहती है।”
Here, “to study” is the infinitive form.
Q3: What is a gerund, and how is it used?
Answer: A gerund is a non-finite verb form that is created by adding “-ing” to the base verb. Gerunds act like nouns and can function as the subject or object in a sentence.
Example:
- “Swimming is a great exercise.”
- Hindi: “तैरना एक अच्छा व्यायाम है।”
Here, “Swimming” is a gerund.
Q4: What is a participle, and how is it used as a non-finite verb?
Answer: A participle is a non-finite verb form that can function as an adjective or be part of a verb phrase. Present participles end in “-ing” (e.g., “running”) and past participles usually end in “-ed” or “-en” (e.g., “broken,” “eaten”).
Example:
- “The broken vase was on the floor.”
- Hindi: “टूटा हुआ फूलदान फर्श पर था।”
Here, “broken” is a past participle used as an adjective.
Q5: How do non-finite verbs function in negative sentences?
Answer: Non-finite verbs in negative sentences follow the structure “not” + non-finite verb form (infinitive, gerund, or participle).
Example:
- “He chose not to attend the event.”
- Hindi: “उसने event में न जाने का फैसला किया।”
Here, “not to attend” is the negative form of the infinitive “to attend.”
Conclusion
Understanding and correctly using non-finite verbs is crucial for effective communication in English. Non-finite verbs—infinitives, gerunds, and participles—do not change with the subject or tense, making them versatile tools in sentence construction. By mastering non-finite forms, learners can add variety to their expressions and use verbs in different grammatical roles, such as acting as nouns, adjectives, or adverbs. Non-finite verbs enhance clarity and flexibility in both spoken and written English. With practice, learners can minimise errors, enrich their language use, and make their communication more fluent and expressive. Mastering non-finite verbs is an essential step in your journey to proficiency in English, enabling smoother and more dynamic conversations.
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