verbs

[moses]

what are finite and infinite verbs

[colloquium]

what are finite and infinite verbs

A finite verb is a verb which carries tense (and agrees with the subject).

He works for me.

A non-finite verb is a verb which does not carry tense.

He is working for me.

The tense in the above sentence is carried in the verb "to be", not working.

If we want to change the tense of this sentence, we do not change the non-finite verb; we change the finite verb.

He was working for me.

They are working for me.

Non-finite verbs usually come in the form of present/past participles (working/worked) and full/bare infinitives (to work/work).