Hand-book of Volapük/15

THE INFINITIV
The verbs given so far have been in the form which simply asserts, called the indicativ mood.

The infinitiv mood, or verb-noun, has the ending -&ouml;n. It is usually, though not always, preceded in English by to. In Volap&uuml;k it may be in various tenses: pat&uuml;p, pet&uuml;p, pot&uuml;p, or put&uuml;p.

Log&ouml;n, to see. Elog&ouml;n, to have seen. Olog&ouml;n, to be about to see (as we cannot say to shall). Ulog&ouml;n, to be about to have seen. Lilad&ouml;n binos p&ouml;f&uuml;dik, to read is profitable. Liladam binom p&ouml;f&uuml;dik, reading is profitable.

Notice that the neuter-impersonal verb, binos, is used with the infinitiv as subject.

Vilob lilad&ouml;n buki at, I wish to read this book.

Op&ouml;f&uuml;dos alime elilad&ouml;n buki at, It will benefit every one to have read this book.

Kanob lilad&ouml;n, I can read.

The verbs may, can, must (called by some grammarians, signs of the potential mood), let, dare, etc., have no to after them in English, yet the verb following them is in the infinitiv.

Mutob p&uuml;k&ouml;n, I must speak (I am obliged to speak). Dalob sag&ouml;n, I may say (am permitted to say). Letom puli gol&ouml;n, he lets the boy go; he allows the boy to go.

Kons&auml;lob olis k&ouml;m&ouml;n, I advise you to come. Olemob buki al stud&ouml;n volap&uuml;ki, I shall buy a book, to study Volap&uuml;k.

Here "to" means "in order to." In this case the infinitiv must be preceded by al. To test (,,al bluf&ouml;n") whether al should be used or not, see if you can change the English phrase into an equivalent one containing "for," or if it answers the question "for what ?"

I shall buy a book (for what ?) to study Volap&uuml;k. Osegolob adelo al spat&ouml;n, I shall go out to walk (for walking) to-day.

Eblibob in zif al lem&ouml;n klotis, I have remained in the city in order to buy clothes.

No mutobs lif&ouml;n al fid&ouml;n, sod fid&ouml;n al lif&ouml;n, we must not live to eat, but eat to live.

The English verb-noun in -ing must be translated by the infinitiv. Fid&ouml;n zes&uuml;dos al lif&ouml;n, eating is necessary for living.

The infinitiv, being a kind of verb-noun, may be declined, tho' this seldom occurs.

L&ouml;f stud&ouml;na, the love of studying.

It is permitted to insert the personal pronouns before the ending -&ouml;n in order to indicate the subject.

Binob&ouml;n u ne binob&ouml;n ! [for me] to be or not to be !

The infinitiv in the passiv voice is formed in the same way, and is subject to the same rules.

Pamilag&ouml;n, to be admired. Pevun&ouml;n, to have been wounded. Pomat&ouml;n, to be about to be married, to be going to be married.