Finite verb

Definition:Finite verbs (sometimes called main verbs) are verb forms suitable for use in predicates in that they carry inflections or other formal characteristics limiting their number(singular / plural), person, and tense(past / present etc). Finite verbs can function on their own as the core of an independent sentence.

A finite verb is a verb that is inflected for person and for tense according to the rules and categories of the languages in which it occurs. Finite verbs can form independent clauses, which can stand on their own as complete sentences.

For example
I walked, they walk, and she walks are finite verbs* (to) walk is an infinitive.
I lived in Germany.* "I" is the subject. "Lived" describes what the subject did. "Lived" is a finite verb. Examples
The truck demolished the restaurant.
The leaves were yellow and sickly.

Every grammatically correct sentence or clause must contain a finite verb: sentence fragments not containing finite verbs are described as phrases.

Some interjactions can play the same role. Even in English, a sentence like thanks for your help! Has an Interjection where it could have a subject and a finite verb form (compare I appreciate your help!)

In English, as in most related languages, only verbs in certain moods are finite. These include:

·         The indicative mood (expressing a state of affairs); e.g., “The bulldozer demolished the restaurant,” “The leaves were yellow and stiff”

·         The imperative mood (giving a command)

·         The subjunctive mood (expressing something that might or might not be the states of affairs, depending on some other part of the sentence); nearly extinct in English.

Example :

1.Positive command
- Help me, please !
2. Negative verb
- Don’t do that.

The finite forms of a verb are the forms where the verb shows tense, person or number. Non-finite verb forms have no person or number, but some types can show tense.

• Finite verb forms include: I go, she goes, he went
• Non-finite verb forms include: to go, going, gone