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Study Resource: German double-infinitives reference sheet

By: Babsi Schafer Cabrera

Verbs that trigger double infinitives in German compound tenses

können
Translation: to be able to; can
sollen
Translation: to be supposed to; shall
wollen
Translation: to want
müssen
Translation: to have to; must
dürfen
Translation: to be allowed to; may
mögen
Translation: to like

Verbs of perception

sehen
Translation: to see
fühlen
Translation: to feel
hören
Translation: to hear
spüren
Translation: to feel

Other

brauchen
Translation: to need
lassen
Translation: to let
helfen
Translation: to help
lehren
Translation: to teach
kommen
Translation: to come
fahren
Translation: to drive
gehen
Translation: to go
bleiben
Translation: to stay

German verbs that look like double infinitives, but aren’t

spazieren gehen
Translation: to go for a walk
sitzen bleiben
Translation: to stay seated
stehen bleiben
Translation: to stay standing
kennen lernen
Translation: to get to know