The Infinitive of Purpose | Czech Grammar

When you move somewhere in order to do something, Czech lets you state that purpose with a bare infinitive placed right after the verb of motion: Jdu nakoupit "I'm going (in order) to shop," Přišel pomoct "He came to help," Jedeme se podívat "We're going to take a look." There is no word for "to" or "in order to" — the infinitive alone carries the whole "in order to" meaning. This is everyday, fully natural Czech you will use constantly, and it is the modern descendant of the old supine. The catch for English speakers is precisely that absence of a connecting word: where English needs "to," Czech needs nothing.

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The rule in one line: after a verb of motion, a bare infinitive states why you're moving — no "to," no "in order to," no aby. Jdu + nakoupit = "I'm going to shop." If you find yourself reaching for a linking word, drop it.

The pattern: motion verb + bare infinitive

The construction lives after verbs of motion: jít (go on foot), jet (go by vehicle), přijít (come), přijet (arrive), běžet (run), vrátit se (return), and their relatives. The motion verb carries the person and tense; the infinitive names the goal of the journey.

Jdu nakoupit, něco nám došlo.

I'm going (out) to do some shopping, we've run out of something.

Přišel pomoct s tím stěhováním.

He came to help with the move.

Běžel otevřít dveře, než to vzdají.

He ran to open the door before they gave up.

Vrátil se domů zkontrolovat, jestli vypnul sporák.

He went back home to check whether he'd turned off the stove.

Notice there is no aby, no na to, abych, nothing between the motion verb and the infinitive. The two verbs sit side by side, and the second one is the purpose. This is the exact slot the supine once filled; the infinitive simply took over the job.

With reflexive verbs: the se/si comes along

If the purpose-verb is reflexive, its se or si rides with the infinitive — and by the rules of clitic placement it usually slides up to second position in the clause, right after the motion verb.

Jdu se osprchovat, jsem celý zpocený.

I'm going to take a shower, I'm all sweaty.

Jedeme se podívat na ten byt v sobotu.

We're going to take a look at that flat on Saturday.

Přišli se rozloučit, než odjedeme.

They came to say goodbye before we leave.

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The reflexive se/si typically hops to second position: Jdu se osprchovat, not Jdu osprchovat se. It belongs to the clitic cluster after the first stressed element, the same as everywhere else in Czech — the infinitive of purpose doesn't change that.

Perfective infinitive for a single, completed goal

Because the purpose is usually a single, bounded action you intend to accomplish — shop and come back, open the door, take one look — the perfective infinitive is the natural choice. The whole point of going is to get the thing done, which is exactly what the perfective expresses.

Imperfective	Perfective	With motion verb
kupovat	koupit	Jdu koupit chleba.
dívat se	podívat se	Jdu se podívat ven.
pomáhat	pomoct	Přišel pomoct.

Skočím koupit rohlíky, máš ještě něco?

I'll pop out to buy some rolls, do you need anything else?

You can use an imperfective infinitive when the purpose is an ongoing activity rather than a one-off goal — Jdu pracovat "I'm going to work / off to work," where the purpose is to spend time working, not to finish a single task:

Každé ráno jdu běhat do parku.

Every morning I go running in the park. (imperfective — a repeated, ongoing activity)

Infinitive of purpose vs. aby-clause

Czech has a second way to state purpose: a subordinate clause with aby + the conditional (covered in full on the aby purpose clauses page). They divide the work cleanly:

Same subject + verb of motion → the bare infinitive is the natural, compact choice. Přišel pomoct. "He came to help." (He comes, he helps.)
Different subject, or you want to emphasise the purpose, or there is no motion verb → use aby. Přišel, aby pomohl emphasises the purpose; Pozval ho, aby pomohl "He invited him so that he would help" has different subjects and so must use aby.

Přišel pomoct.

He came to help. (same subject, motion verb → bare infinitive, the everyday choice)

Přišel, aby pomohl, ne aby nás kritizoval.

He came to help, not to criticise us. (aby — purpose emphasised, contrasted)

Zavolal jsem mu, aby přišel pomoct.

I called him so that he'd come to help. (different subjects → aby; the inner 'come to help' is still a bare infinitive of purpose)

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The infinitive of purpose only works when the mover and the doer are the same person, because the bare infinitive has no subject of its own. The moment the purpose belongs to someone else — "I sent him to buy bread" where he buys — Czech switches to aby: Poslal jsem ho, aby koupil chleba.

Not just literal motion

The construction also works with verbs of "sending" and figurative motion, where someone or something is dispatched toward a purpose:

Poslala děti umýt si ruce.

She sent the children to wash their hands.

Zašel jsem se zeptat, jestli mají volný stůl.

I went over to ask whether they had a free table.

Common Mistakes

❌ Jdu na to nakoupit. / Jdu k nakoupit.

Incorrect — Czech inserts no 'to'/'in order to' word before the infinitive of purpose; the infinitive stands alone.

✅ Jdu nakoupit.

I'm going (out) to shop.

❌ Přišel pomáhá. (conjugating the second verb)

Incorrect — after a motion verb the purpose verb must be a bare infinitive (pomoct), not a finite form.

✅ Přišel pomoct.

He came to help.

❌ Jdu osprchovat se. (reflexive in the wrong slot)

Incorrect placement — the reflexive se moves up to second position: Jdu se osprchovat.

✅ Jdu se osprchovat.

I'm going to take a shower.

❌ Poslal jsem ho koupit chleba a on koupil. (when stressing it was for someone else to do)

Use aby when the purpose belongs to a different subject you want to foreground: Poslal jsem ho, aby koupil chleba.

✅ Poslal jsem ho koupit chleba.

I sent him to buy bread. (bare infinitive is fine here — same 'go and buy' chain)

Key Takeaways

After a verb of motion (jít, jet, přijít, běžet, vrátit se…), a bare infinitive states the purpose of moving — with no "to" / "in order to" / aby.
It is everyday, natural Czech and the modern replacement for the old supine.
The perfective infinitive is typical for a single, completed goal (Jdu koupit chleba); the imperfective fits an ongoing activity (Jdu běhat).
Reflexive se/si moves to second position: Jdu se podívat.
Use the infinitive only when mover and doer are the same; for a different subject or emphasised purpose, switch to an aby-clause.

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