Using the infinitive form of verbs to express the English "-ING"

Written by Qualified French Expert Aurélie Drouard HKH, Licence d'anglais LLCE

Last updated: 2023-09-25

Generally, when talking about an activity in English, we use either the -ing form of the verb or the to + verb form:

Dieting is useful. / To diet is useful.

I love going on holiday. / I love to go on holiday.

Learn how to use infinitive verbs in French

Now look at these examples:

Faire un régime est utile.Dieting is useful.

J'adore aller en vacances.I love going on holiday.

J'aime lire.I like to read / I like reading.

Je déteste manger des épinards.I hate to eat spinach / I hate eating spinach.

In French, you will always use the infinitive in those cases.

Case of reflexive infinitives

Je déteste me lever tôt.I hate getting up early.

Vous aimez bien vous promener.You like going for a walk.

Basile adore se coucher tard.Basile loves going to bed late.

When the infinitive is a reflexive verb, the reflexive pronoun (me, te, se, nous, vous, se) matches the subject of the sentence (i.e. the person referred to).

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Examples and resources

Il aime lire.He likes reading. / He likes to read.

J'adore regarder la télé.I love watching telly. / I love to watch telly.

Ils aiment dessiner.They like drawing. / They like to draw.

Je déteste manger des épinards.I hate to eat spinach / I hate eating spinach.

Je n'aime pas nager.I don't like to swim / I don't like swimming.

J'adore faire du shopping.I love to go shopping / I love going shopping.

Ne pas écouter est sa spécialité.Not listening is his speciality.

J'aime lire.I like to read / I like reading.

Ménager le vin quand le tonneau est à sa fin, c'est s'y prendre un peu tard.
(Proverbe agricole)Sparing the wine when the barrel is at its end is getting to it a bit late.
(Farmer's proverb)

Poser un lapin le jour de la Saint-Valentin, ça craint !Standing someone up on Valentine's Day, that sucks!

Faire de l'exercice est fatiguant.Exercising is tiring.

Nous détestons marcher.We hate walking. / We hate to walk.

Pose ce téléphone !
Se faire les yeux doux par écran interposé, si ça marchait, ça se saurait !Put down that phone!
Making doe eyes with a screen in-between, if that worked, we would know!