B1 Portuguese GrammarDouble Infinitive Construction
Master Portuguese compound infinitive constructions and verb chains. Learn the personal infinitive (unique to Portuguese), perfect infinitive for past actions, and how to combine multiple verbs naturally in complex sentences.
1The Personal Infinitive
Portuguese has a unique feature: the personal (inflected) infinitive, which conjugates for person. It's used when the subject of the infinitive is different from the main verb's subject, or after certain prepositions. Add -es, -mos, -em to the infinitive.
Personal Infinitive Conjugation
| Person | Falar | Comer | Partir |
|---|---|---|---|
| eu | falar | comer | partir |
| tu | falares | comeres | partires |
| ele/ela | falar | comer | partir |
| nós | falarmos | comermos | partirmos |
| eles/elas | falarem | comerem | partirem |
Examples
É importante estudarmos todos os dias.
It is important for us to study every day.
personal infinitive shows subject
Antes de saírem, fechem a porta.
Before you leave, close the door.
personal inf after antes de
Ele saiu sem os outros perceberem.
He left without the others noticing.
different subjects
Apesar de estarmos cansados, continuamos.
Although we were tired, we continued.
after apesar de
2Perfect Infinitive (Compound Infinitive)
The perfect infinitive expresses a completed action before another action. Form it with 'ter' + past participle. Use it after verbs like dizer, pensar, parecer, and after prepositions to express 'having done' something.
Perfect Infinitive Formation
| Verb | Infinitive | Perfect Infinitive |
|---|---|---|
| fazer | fazer | ter feito |
| ver | ver | ter visto |
| escrever | escrever | ter escrito |
| dizer | dizer | ter dito |
Examples
Lamento ter chegado tarde.
I regret having arrived late.
regret + past action
Ele disse ter visto o acidente.
He said he had seen the accident.
reported past action
Depois de ter comido, saímos.
After having eaten, we left.
depois de + perfect inf
Parece ter chovido durante a noite.
It seems to have rained during the night.
parecer + perfect inf
3Verb Chains with Infinitives
Portuguese commonly chains verbs with infinitives. The main verb is conjugated and the dependent verb stays as infinitive. Common patterns: ir + infinitive (near future), acabar de + infinitive (just did), começar a + infinitive (begin to), continuar a + infinitive (continue to).
Common Verb Chain Patterns
| Pattern | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| ir + infinitive | going to | vou estudar |
| acabar de + inf | just did | acabei de chegar |
| deixar de + inf | stop doing | deixou de fumar |
| voltar a + inf | do again | voltou a ligar |
Examples
Vou tentar resolver o problema.
I am going to try to solve the problem.
ir + tentar + resolver
Acabamos de terminar o projeto.
We have just finished the project.
acabar de = just
Ela deixou de me ligar.
She stopped calling me.
deixar de = stop
Voltei a estudar português.
I started studying Portuguese again.
voltar a = do again
4Modal Verbs with Infinitives
Modal verbs (poder, dever, querer, conseguir, precisar de) combine with infinitives to express ability, obligation, desire, and necessity. In compound tenses, use 'ter + past participle of modal + infinitive' to express past abilities and obligations.
Modals in Compound Tenses
| Modal | Simple | Compound |
|---|---|---|
| poder (can) | posso fazer | tenho podido fazer |
| dever (should) | devo ir | tenho devido ir |
| querer (want) | quero ver | tenho querido ver |
| conseguir (manage) | consigo entender | tenho conseguido |
Examples
Não tenho podido dormir bem.
I have not been able to sleep well.
ter podido = have been able
Ela tem querido falar contigo.
She has been wanting to talk to you.
ongoing past desire
Temos conseguido resolver os problemas.
We have been managing to solve the problems.
ter conseguido = have managed
Deverias ter feito isso antes.
You should have done that before.
conditional + perfect inf