Verbs and Common Constructions with Infinitives

A verb (дієсло́во) is a word that expresses an action or a state of being of a person or object.
Кіт спи́ть. – The cat sleeps.

Grammatical Categories of Ukrainian Verbs

Ukrainian verbs are rich in grammatical forms. They can express several categories at once. These categories are essential for understanding how verbs function in Ukrainian.

• Tense: past, present and future.
• Aspect: perfective and imperfective.
• Transivity: transitive and intransitive verbs.
• Voice: active, passive and reflexive.
• Mood: indicative, subjunctive and imperative.
• Person: first, second and third.
• Number: singular and plural.
• Gender: masculine, feminine and neuter.

We will go through each category in later lessons.

The Infinitive Form

The infinitive (неозначена форма дієслова) is the basic, unconjugated form of the verb. It is the form you will find in dictionaries.

The infinitive does NOT indicate:

• gender
• person
• number
• tense
• mood

However, it does express:

• aspect (perfective or imperfective)
• transitivity (whether it takes a direct object)
• voice (active, passive, or reflexive)

Infinitive forms in Ukrainian usually end in –ти, and sometimes in –ться or –ся (for reflexive verbs).

Examples:
роби́ти(to do),
йти(to go),
чита́ти(to read),
смія́тися(to laugh).

Infinitives often appear after modal verbs or expressions of desire and ability:

Я хо́чу чита́ти. – I want to read.
Він мо́же працюва́ти. – He can work.
Ми лю́бимо співа́ти. – We love to sing.

Finite verbs can express all grammatical categories at once.

Examples:
Хло́пець чита́в кни́гу. – The boy was reading the book.
Я прочита́ю кни́гу. – I will read the book.

Common Constructions with Infinitives

1. “Хочу + infinitive” – I want to …

Use "хочу" to express what you want to do. Examples:

Я хо́чу чита́ти кни́гу. – I want to read a book.
Я хо́чу ї́сти. – I want to eat.
Я хо́чу слу́хати музику. – I want to listen to music.
Я не хо́чу слу́хати музику. – I don't want to listen to music. (add “не” before хочу́ to make the sentence negative)

2. “Можу + infinitive” – I can / am able to …

Use можу to say you are able to do something. Examples:

Я мо́жу працюва́ти вдома. – I can work at home.
Я мо́жу йти додому. – I can go home
Я мо́жу ходи́ти в парк. – I can walk to the park.
Я не мо́жу чита́ти зараз. – I cannot read now. 

3. “Люблю + infinitive” – I like / love to …

Use люблю to talk about hobbies or things you enjoy. Examples:

Я люблю́ чита́ти. – I like to read.
Я люблю́ диви́тися фі́льми. – I like to watch movies.
Я не люблю́ працюва́ти вдома. – I don’t like to work at home.

4. “Тре́ба / потрі́бно + infinitive” – It is necessary to …
“Мені́ тре́ба / потрібно + infinitive” I need ...

Use треба or потрібно for necessity or obligation. Examples:

Тре́ба спа́ти. – It is necessary to sleep.
Потрі́бно вчи́тися. – It is necessary to study.
Тре́ба роби́ти дома́шнє завда́ння. – It is necessary to do homework.
Тре́ба ї́сти щодня́. – One must eat every day. (impersonal construction)
Мені тре́ба ї́сти щодня́. – I need to eat every day. ("мені" = "to me", dative case of "я"; shows who the necessity applies to, literal: "To me it is necessary to eat every day.")
Мені тре́ба роби́ти дома́шнє завда́ння. – I need to do homework.
Мені не тре́ба працюва́ти сьогодні. – I don’t need to work today.

Some common verbs: