What Are Gerunds? (The -ing Form)

A gerund is the -ing form of a verb that functions as a noun. It names an activity or a concept, not an action being performed by a subject.

We use gerunds in several key situations:

• As the subject of a sentence: The gerund acts as the main topic. Reading helps you learn new vocabulary.
• After prepositions: Any verb that follows a preposition must be a gerund. I’m interested in learning about other cultures.
• After certain verbs: Many verbs are directly followed by a gerund. Common examples include enjoy, finish, mind, suggest, avoid, admit, deny, consider, risk, imagine, miss, postpone, practice, recommend, resent, resist, tolerate, understand.
• After phrasal verbs: Phrasal verbs often end with a preposition, so a gerund must follow. She gave up smoking last year.

What Are Infinitives? (The to + Verb Form)

An infinitive is the base form of a verb preceded by to (z. B., to go, to eat, to study). It can function as a noun, an adjective, or an adverb.

We use infinitives in these common contexts:

• To express purpose: This explains why someone does something. I went to the store to buy some milk.
• After adjectives: Infinitives often follow adjectives to give more information. It’s difficult to understand this grammar point.
• After certain verbs: Many verbs are directly followed by an infinitive. Common examples include want, need, decide, plan, hope, agree, refuse, promise, learn, manage, afford, appear, arrange, ask, choose, expect, fail, offer, prepare, pretend, seem, tend, threaten.
• After too und enough: These structures use infinitives to describe sufficiency or excess. It’s too cold to swim. He’s old enough to drive.
• After question words: Infinitives can follow how, what, where, when, who, why (less common). I don’t know what to do.

Verbs Followed by Both (With a Change in Meaning)

Some verbs can be followed by either a gerund or an infinitive, but the meaning of the sentence changes significantly. It’s important to understand these differences.

• Stop:
  • Stop + gerund means to cease an activity. He stopped smoking. (He doesn’t smoke anymore.)
  • Stop + infinitive means to pause an activity in order to do something else. He stopped to smoke. (He paused what he was doing to have a cigarette.)
• Remember:
  • Remember + gerund means to recall a past event. I remember visiting Paris when I was a child.
  • Remember + infinitive means to not forget to do something. Remember to lock the door.
• Forget:
  • Forget + gerund means to not recall a past event. I’ll never forget seeing the Eiffel Tower for the first time.
  • Forget + infinitive means to fail to do something you intended. I forgot to send the email.
• Try:
  • Try + gerund means to experiment with something to see if it works or helps. If you can’t sleep, try drinking warm milk.
  • Try + infinitive means to make an effort to do something, often difficult. I tried to open the window, but it was stuck.
• Regret:
  • Regret + gerund means to feel sorry about something you did in the past. I regret telling her my secret.
  • Regret + infinitive means to feel sorry about something you are about to say or do (formal). We regret to inform you that your application was unsuccessful.

Verbs Followed by Both (Little or No Meaning Change)

Some verbs can take either a gerund or an infinitive with very little or no difference in meaning. These verbs often express preferences or the start/continuation of an action.

• Preference verbs: like, love, hate, prefer. I love swimming. / I love to swim. (Both are generally acceptable.) However, there can be a slight nuance for like:
  • I like going camping. (I enjoy the activity of camping.)
  • I like to go to the dentist every six months. (I think it is a good idea to go, even if I don’t ‘enjoy’ it.)
• Beginning/Continuing verbs: start, begin, continue. It started raining. / It started to rain. (Both are correct and mean the same.)

Verbs of Perception (See, Hear, Watch, Feel, Notice)

When you use verbs of perception followed by an object, you can use either a base infinitive (without to) or a gerund, but they convey slightly different ideas about the action.

• Verb + Object + Base Infinitive: This implies you perceived the complete action from beginning to end. I saw him leave the building. (I saw the entire act of him leaving.)
• Verb + Object + Gerund: This implies you perceived the action in progress, or only a part of it. I saw him leaving the building. (I saw him in the process of leaving, but maybe not the very beginning or end.)

Beispiele

• Learning English requires dedication.
• She’s good at solving complex problems.
• He decided to study abroad next year.
• It’s important to listen carefully.
• I stopped eating fast food.
• I stopped to eat lunch.
• Do you remember meeting me last year?
• Please remember to call your mother.
• I heard the birds singing this morning.
• I watched the children play in the park.

Übung

Häufige Fehler bei Spanischsprechern

Spanish speakers often make specific errors with gerunds and infinitives due to direct translation or confusion with the English to.

• Confusing to as a preposition with to as part of an infinitive: In Spanish, a + infinitive is common. In English, if to is a preposition (e.g., after look forward to, be used to, object to), it must be followed by a gerund.
  • Falsch: I’m looking forward to meet you.
  • Richtig: I’m looking forward to meeting you.
• Using infinitives after prepositions: In Spanish, you can use an infinitive after a preposition (e.g., antes de salir). In English, verbs after prepositions must be gerunds.
  • Falsch: Thanks for help me.
  • Richtig: Thanks for helping me.
• Incorrectly using gerunds for purpose: While Spanish uses para + infinitive, English uses to + infinitive for purpose.
  • Falsch: I study for passing the exam.
  • Richtig: I study to pass the exam.

Häufig gestellte Fragen

What is the main difference between a gerund and an infinitive?

A gerund (-ing form) functions like a noun, naming an activity, as in Running is healthy. An infinitive (to + base verb) can act as a noun, adjective, or adverb, often expressing purpose or following specific verbs and adjectives, for example, I want to run.

How can I remember which verbs take gerunds and which take infinitives?

There isn’t one simple rule; it often depends on memorization and practice. However, verbs expressing preferences or activities often take gerunds (enjoy, finish), while verbs expressing plans, desires, or intentions often take infinitives (want, decide, hope). Pay attention to common patterns and lists of verbs.

Is there a rule for verbs that can take both gerunds and infinitives?

For some verbs like like, love, hate, start, begin, continue, there is often little or no difference in meaning. However, for verbs like stop, remember, forget, try, regret, using a gerund or an infinitive changes the meaning significantly. Always check the context to choose the correct form.

What about verbs of perception like ‘see’ or ‘hear’?

With verbs of perception followed by an object, you can use a base infinitive (without to) to indicate a complete action (I saw him leave), or a gerund to indicate an action in progress (I saw him leaving). The choice depends on whether you witnessed the entire event or just a part of it.