section_path: Grammar/Word order/Multiple infinitives
section_name: Multiple infinitives
paragraph_text: Multiple infinitives
  
  German subordinate clauses have all verbs clustered at the end, with the finite verb normally in the final position of the cluster. Given that auxiliaries encode future, passive, modality, and the perfect, very long chains of verbs at the end of the sentence can occur. In these constructions, the past participle formed with ge- is often replaced by the infinitive.
  
  The order at the end of such strings is subject to variation, but the second one in the last example is unusual.