Infinitive Constructions in Ukrainian

Overview

The infinitive in Ukrainian serves multiple syntactic functions beyond simply following modal verbs. At the CEFR B2 level, understanding infinitive constructions in their full range -- as subjects, after adjectives, for purpose, and in impersonal expressions -- enriches your ability to construct varied and natural sentences.

Ukrainian infinitives end in -ти (standard) or -ть (colloquial/poetic). They can function as the subject of a sentence, as a complement to adjectives and nouns, and in various impersonal constructions. The infinitive always preserves its aspectual distinction (imperfective vs perfective), which affects meaning.

How It Works

Infinitive as Subject

Плавати корисно. (Swimming is healthy.) Говорити правду -- важливо. (Speaking the truth is important.)

Infinitive After Adjectives

Важко це зрозуміти. (It's hard to understand this.) Легко сказати. (Easy to say.) Цікаво подорожувати. (Traveling is interesting.)

Infinitive of Purpose

Прийшов допомогти. (I came to help.) Зупинився відпочити. (He stopped to rest.)

Infinitive in Fixed Expressions

Нічого сказати. (Nothing to say.) Є що робити. (There's something to do.) Нема куди йти. (There's nowhere to go.)

Aspect in Infinitive

Imperfective	Perfective	Difference
Важко вчити. (Hard to study -- ongoing)	Важко вивчити. (Hard to master -- complete)
Треба працювати. (Must work -- general)	Треба зробити. (Must do -- specific task)

Examples in Context

Ukrainian	English	Note
Плавати корисно.	Swimming is healthy.	Subject
Важко це зрозуміти.	It's hard to understand.	After adjective
Прийшов допомогти.	I came to help.	Purpose
Нічого сказати.	Nothing to say.	Fixed expression
Легко говорити.	Easy to say.	After adjective
Є де жити.	There's somewhere to live.	Existential
Приємно познайомитися.	Nice to meet you.	After adjective
Нема чого боятися.	There's nothing to be afraid of.	Negative existential
Час іти.	Time to go.	After noun
Хочеться спати.	I feel like sleeping.	Impersonal reflexive

Common Mistakes

Using gerund instead of infinitive for subject

• Wrong: Плавання є корисне. (noun instead of infinitive in informal context)
• Right: Плавати корисно.
• Why: Ukrainian commonly uses infinitives as subjects where English uses gerunds.

Wrong aspect in infinitive

• Wrong: Треба зробити щодня. (perfective for habitual)
• Right: Треба робити щодня.
• Why: Habitual or ongoing necessity requires imperfective infinitive.

Omitting infinitive complement

• Wrong: Важко. (when specific task is meant)
• Right: Важко зрозуміти. (specifying what is difficult)
• Why: While "Важко" alone works for general hardship, specific difficulty needs the infinitive complement.

Usage Notes

Infinitive constructions with "є що / є де / є куди" (there's something to / somewhere to / somewhere to go) and their negatives "нема що / нема де / нема куди" are distinctly Ukrainian patterns that are very common in everyday speech.

The colloquial infinitive ending -ть (говорить, писать) is used in some dialects and informal speech but should be avoided in formal writing.

Practice Tips

1. Subject infinitives: Practice forming sentences where activities are subjects: "Читати цікаво, працювати важко."
2. Existential infinitives: Practice є/нема + question word + infinitive patterns.
3. Aspect choice: For each infinitive context, practice choosing the correct aspect.

Related Concepts

• Prerequisite: Impersonal Constructions -- infinitives feature in impersonal sentences