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Verbs whose meaning changes depending on whether they are followed by an infinitive or a gerund.
Practice: build the sentences →Some verbs can be followed by either a to-infinitive or a gerund, but changing the form changes the meaning or the time relationship.
The most important examples include remember, forget, regret, stop, try, mean, and go on.
Remember to lock the door.
Не забудь запереть дверь.
Remember + to-infinitive: remember a future task.
I remember locking the door.
Я помню, как запирал дверь.
Remember + gerund: have a memory of a past action.
He stopped smoking.
Он бросил курить.
Stop + gerund: end an activity.
He stopped to smoke.
Он остановился, чтобы покурить.
Stop + to-infinitive: pause to do something else.
Remember + to-infinitive refers to remembering that an action needs to be performed.
For example, Remember to lock the door means that you should not forget to lock it.
Remember to lock the door.
Не забудь запереть дверь.
Remember + to-infinitive: remember a task to do.
Please remember to call me tomorrow.
Пожалуйста, не забудь позвонить мне завтра.
Future obligation.
Remember + gerund refers to having a memory of a past action or experience.
For example, I remember meeting her means that I have a memory of meeting her.
I remember meeting her.
Я помню, как встретил её.
Remember + gerund: memory of a past action.
She remembers visiting Paris as a child.
Она помнит, как посещала Париж в детстве.
Past memory.
Forget + to-infinitive refers to failing to remember that an action should be performed.
For example, I forgot to call him means that I did not remember to make the call.
I forgot to call him.
Я забыл позвонить ему.
Forget + to-infinitive: fail to remember a task.
She forgot to lock the door.
Она забыла запереть дверь.
Task not done.
Forget + gerund refers to losing or lacking a memory of a past action or experience.
For example, I will never forget meeting her means that the memory of the meeting will remain.
I will never forget meeting her.
Я никогда не забуду, как встретил её.
Forget + gerund: lose the memory of a past experience.
She forgot seeing that film before.
Она забыла, что уже видела этот фильм.
Memory of a past action.
Regret + to-infinitive is commonly used in formal language when announcing or reporting unpleasant information.
For example, We regret to inform you that your application was unsuccessful.
We regret to inform you that your application was unsuccessful.
С сожалением сообщаем, что ваша заявка отклонена.
Formal announcement of bad news.
I regret to say that we cannot help you.
Мне жаль говорить, но мы не можем вам помочь.
Formal regret + to-infinitive.
Regret + gerund refers to feeling sorry about an action that has already happened.
For example, I regret saying that means that I am sorry that I said it.
I regret saying that.
Я сожалею, что сказал это.
Regret + gerund: sorry about a past action.
She regrets not studying harder.
Она сожалеет, что не училась усерднее.
Past regret.
Stop + gerund means to end or cease an activity.
For example, He stopped smoking means that he ended the activity of smoking.
He stopped smoking.
Он бросил курить.
Stop + gerund: end the activity.
She stopped working late.
Она перестала работать допоздна.
Activity ceased.
Stop + to-infinitive means to interrupt one activity in order to perform another activity.
For example, She stopped to answer the phone means that she paused what she was doing in order to answer it.
She stopped to answer the phone.
Она остановилась, чтобы ответить на звонок.
Stop + to-infinitive: pause to do something else.
He stopped to buy some milk.
Он остановился, чтобы купить молока.
Interrupt one action to perform another.
Try + to-infinitive means to make an effort or attempt to do something.
For example, Try to be more careful means make an effort to be more careful.
Try to be more careful.
Постарайся быть осторожнее.
Try + to-infinitive: make an effort.
I tried to open the window, but it was stuck.
Я пытался открыть окно, но оно заклинило.
Attempt.
Try + gerund means to test or experiment with an action as a possible solution.
For example, Try restarting the computer means experiment with restarting it to see whether it solves the problem.
Try restarting the computer.
Попробуй перезагрузить компьютер.
Try + gerund: experiment with a solution.
If you have a headache, try drinking some water.
Если у тебя болит голова, попробуй попить воды.
Test a possible remedy.
Mean + to-infinitive expresses intention or an intended action.
For example, I meant to call you means that I intended to call you.
I meant to call you.
Я собирался позвонить тебе.
Mean + to-infinitive: intend.
She meant to tell you the truth.
Она собиралась сказать тебе правду.
Intention.
Mean + gerund expresses that one action or situation involves, requires, or results in another.
For example, This job means working late means that working late is an unavoidable part of the job.
This job means working late.
Эта работа означает работу допоздна.
Mean + gerund: involve, result in.
Taking this route means driving through the city.
Этот маршрут означает поездку через город.
Involves.
Go on + gerund means to continue the same activity.
For example, She went on talking for another hour.
She went on talking for another hour.
Она продолжала говорить ещё час.
Go on + gerund: continue the same activity.
He went on working despite the noise.
Он продолжал работать, несмотря на шум.
Same activity continues.
Go on + to-infinitive means to move from one activity, subject, or stage to another.
For example, After discussing the problem, she went on to explain the solution.
After discussing the problem, she went on to explain the solution.
Обсудив проблему, она перешла к объяснению решения.
Go on + to-infinitive: move to a new activity.
He went on to become a famous scientist.
Впоследствии он стал известным учёным.
Move to a new stage.
Continue can normally be followed by either a to-infinitive or a gerund without a major change in meaning.
For example, She continued to work and She continued working.
She continued to work.
Она продолжила работать.
Continue + to-infinitive.
She continued working.
Она продолжила работать.
Continue + gerund.
Begin can normally be followed by either a to-infinitive or a gerund with little difference in meaning.
For example, It began to rain and It began raining.
It began to rain.
Начался дождь.
Begin + to-infinitive.
It began raining.
Начался дождь.
Begin + gerund.
Start can normally be followed by either a to-infinitive or a gerund with little difference in meaning.
For example, She started to laugh and She started laughing.
She started to laugh.
Она начала смеяться.
Start + to-infinitive.
She started laughing.
Она начала смеяться.
Start + gerund.
Like can take either a to-infinitive or a gerund, with the choice sometimes reflecting a difference between a specific preference or habit and general enjoyment.
For example, I like swimming describes enjoyment of the activity, while I like to check my email in the morning can describe a preferred routine.
I like swimming.
Я люблю плавать.
Like + gerund: general enjoyment.
I like to check my email in the morning.
Я люблю проверять почту по утрам.
Like + to-infinitive: preferred habit.
Love, hate, and prefer can often be followed by either a to-infinitive or a gerund, with differences that may depend on context, aspect, and style.
For example, I love reading and I love to read both describe positive preference, while I would prefer to leave is a common specific-choice construction.
I love reading.
Я люблю читать.
Love + gerund.
I love to read.
Я люблю читать.
Love + to-infinitive.
I would prefer to leave early.
Я предпочёл бы уйти рано.
Would prefer + to-infinitive.
Need + to-infinitive means that the subject needs to perform the action.
For example, I need to wash the car means that I need to perform the washing.
I need to wash the car.
Мне нужно помыть машину.
Need + to-infinitive: subject performs action.
She needs to study for the exam.
Ей нужно готовиться к экзамену.
Subject needs to do something.
Need + gerund can express that something needs to receive an action and has a passive meaning.
For example, The car needs washing means that the car needs to be washed.
The car needs washing.
Машину нужно помыть.
Need + gerund: passive meaning (car needs to be washed).
The room needs cleaning.
Комнату нужно убрать.
Passive meaning.
Need + gerund and need + to be + past participle can express similar passive meanings in appropriate contexts.
For example, The house needs painting and The house needs to be painted.
The house needs painting.
Дом нужно покрасить.
Need + gerund.
The house needs to be painted.
Дом нужно покрасить.
Need + to be + past participle.
Can't help is followed by a gerund and means that someone cannot prevent themselves from performing or experiencing an action.
For example, I cannot help laughing means that I cannot stop myself from laughing.
I cannot help laughing.
Я не могу не смеяться.
Can't help + gerund: unable to prevent oneself.
She couldn't help crying.
Она не могла не плакать.
Cannot prevent oneself.
Choose the infinitive or gerund according to the meaning intended by the preceding verb.
Common mistakes include confusing remember to do with remember doing, stop doing with stop to do, try to do with try doing, mean to do with mean doing, and go on doing with go on to do.
Remember to lock the door.
Не забудь запереть дверь.
Correct: remember + to-infinitive for future task.
I remember locking the door.
Я помню, как запирал дверь.
Correct: remember + gerund for past memory.
He stopped smoking.
Он бросил курить.
Correct: stop + gerund = end activity.
He stopped to smoke.
Он остановился, чтобы покурить.
Correct: stop + to-infinitive = pause to do something else.
I tried to open the window.
Я пытался открыть окно.
Correct: try + to-infinitive = attempt.
Try restarting the computer.
Попробуй перезагрузить компьютер.
Correct: try + gerund = experiment with a solution.
I meant to call you.
Я собирался позвонить тебе.
Correct: mean + to-infinitive = intend.
This job means working late.
Эта работа означает работу допоздна.
Correct: mean + gerund = involve.
She went on talking.
Она продолжала говорить.
Correct: go on + gerund = continue same activity.
She went on to explain the next point.
Затем она перешла к объяснению следующего пункта.
Correct: go on + to-infinitive = move to new activity.