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2.2.1.8 Infinitive
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Saterland Frisian features two kinds of infinitives, a shorter type and a longer type (e.g. lope and lopen ‘walk’). Their distribution is not random.

The short (or ‘verbal’) infinitive (or ‘infinitive I’) is the citation form. It is used in the complement of modal verbs, among other things. For example: du koast niks kriege ‘you can’t get anything’.

The ‘long’ or ‘nominal’ or ‘gerundival’ infinitive (or ‘infinitive II’) is used in the complement of the preposition tou and perception verbs, among other things. For example: tou hälpen ‘to help’ or sjuchst du hier gungen? ‘do you see her going?’. It is also used as a nominalised infinitive, e.g. dät Eedgreeuwen ‘turf extraction’, literally ‘the turf-digging’.

The long infinitive also shows up in the complement of aspectual verbs like kumeand blieuwe, e.g. hie koom anlopen ‘he came a-running’ or hie bleeuw stounden ‘he remained standing’.

See: syntax, verb.

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