As a finite verb, also finite verb form or personal form, a word form of the verb is designated (cf. word forms). The finite verb is conjugate, expressing certain grammatical features. The finite verb indicates person, number, genus, mode, and tense, and changes with the subject. Expressions without a finite verb are not sentences but headings, points of structure, or exclamations (cf. interjection). All German sentences contain at least one finite verb form, which is a part of the predicate (cf. The counterpart is the infinite verbs.
term
The term finit is derived from the Latin noun finis for boundary. Here the translation of the word gives us a clue as to what is at stake. The finite verb is limited.
It is limited in that it is subordinated to certain grammatical features, and is conjugated according to the number and person of the subject, and the genus, mode, and also tense change. In contrast, infinite verbs do not change. They remain the same, independent of other clauses, and are not limited.
Note: The term finite verb is rarely used. One speaks usually of the finite verb form or of the personnel form, rarely also of the finitum. However, we decided to use this term because our visitors mostly use it for questions and in the search.
Finite verb form in German
In German, a simple sentence with a subject and a predicate can be formed. This is the least and is therefore also referred to as sentence minimum or supplementary sentence.
Since every German theorem has a finitum and this is always a part of the predicate, it is also found in such a sentence minimum. A simple example consisting of subject and predicate is:
I walk.
In the example above, the subject of the sentence is the first, and the predicate is the second. This is the finite verb run. Consequently, this adjusts itself to the person and number mark of the subject of the sentence (see nominative), ie, to the ego. I am the first person singular. Therefore, the correct verb form runs.
In addition, the mode of the indicative and the tense is the present. However, if the subject were, for example, the first person plural, the verb would change. It is thus conjugated and thus indicates the change of person and number of the subject.
We run.
These examples illustrate how the verb has adapted to the subject. This was represented in the first example by the first person singular, thus I, and in the second by the first person plural We. In the first example, the verb form runs and runs in the second. The two sentences were indicative and were in the present tense. But this is not always the case.
In German, there are still other time forms than the present (present) and, in addition to the indicative, still further modes (subjunctive, imperative). A finite verb also changes.
We ran.
In this example, the subject is We, that is, the first person plural, the verb stands in the preterite, that is, in the first past. According to this, the verb has adapted itself to the person and the number of the subject and also to the tense, that is, the time form. The mode is still indicative, which the finite verb also indicates.
Conclusion: The above overview shows that finite verbs always change. They thus give all sorts of information. Thus the tense and preterite can be determined by the verb alone. In other time forms, however, it is important to know which verb is infinit or finite.
For example, we need for the formation of Futur I the finite form of being and the basic form of full verb. In the above overview, the basic form of the verb is thus the infinitive, ie, the infinite verb.
Infinite and finite verb forms
In contrast to the finite verbs, the infinites are invariable. Infinite verb forms do not express the categories of the person, the number, and the mode. These verb forms are not conjugated. In German it is in Infinitive, Partizip I and Partizip II.
This means that grammatical features of the sentence can not be derived from infinites verbs. Here is an example:
Crying, she went home.
The above example involves two verbs – namely: crying and walking. The verb is part of the predicate, so it is adapted to the subject and is therefore a finite verb. By the appended ending -d we can identify this as a participle I. If a verb occurs in this form, it does not change and does not adapt to the grammatical structure.
Tempus example sentence
Presently crying she goes home.
Preteritiously, she went home.
Perfectly crying she ran home.
Plusquamperfekt Crying, she had run home.
I will run home crying
Preteritiously, she went home.
Futur II Crying she’ll be home.
Note: The above overview makes it clear that the finite verb adapts to the subject in all times and also expresses other grammatical features. The infinite verbal form weeping thus remains the same. This is the difference between finite and infinite verb forms. Infinite verbs are also available in Partizip II (Ex: The two have not seen each other for a long time.) And when using the infinitive (Ex: I’m glad to meet you here). More detailed explanations on these two special cases can be found in the specialized article on the infinite verbs.
Summary
Short overview: The most important to Finitum at a glance
As a finite verb, a word form of the verb is called. The finite verb is conjugated and expresses certain grammatical features. It displays the person, the number, the genus, the mode and the tempo, and changes with the subject with which it agrees in number and person.
The counterform form infinite verbs. These are not conjugated according to the person, the number, the tempo, or the mode, and thus give little information about the grammatical features of a sentence. In German there are three infinite verb forms: Infinitive, Partizip I, Partizip II.
Note: The infinitive of a verb and the 1st person singular and 3rd person plural in the present are identical. Nevertheless, one speaks of finite verbs, since they are basically adapted to grammar. This is a common mistake in determining.