A verbal noun is a noun formed directly as an inflexion of a verb or a verb stem, sharing at least in part its constructions. This term is applied especially to gerunds, and sometimes also to infinitives and supines. A noun, or noun substantive, is a part of speech (a word or phrase) which can co-occur with (in)definite articles and attributive adjectives, and function as the head of a noun phrase. ... This article is about inflection in linguistics. ... A verb is a part of speech that usually denotes action (bring, read), occurrence (decompose, glitter), or a state of being (exist, stand). Depending on the language, a verb may vary in form according to many factors, possibly including its tense, aspect, mood and voice. ... This article is in need of attention. ... In linguistics, a gerund is a kind of verbal noun that exists in some languages. ... In grammar, the infinitive is the form of a verb that has no inflection to indicate person, number, mood or tense. ... Supine as an adjective generally refers to any upward-facing position. ...

Examples of the verbal noun in English sentences:

• The question of being is an intrinsic part of philosophy. (being is a gerund)
• The writing of a book is always an ambitious undertaking. (writing is the verbal noun)
• I am against the removal of the previous candidate. (removal is technically a verbal noun, but see below)
• To speak is not to listen. (to speak and to listen are infinitives acting as nouns; in other words: Speaking means that one is not listening; here, speaking is a gerund, and listening a present participle)
• Going is hardly as easy as standing. (going and standing are imperfect participles, or infinitives in -ing acting as nouns; in other words, gerunds)

Some claim that true nouns sharing the stem of their respective verbs are also verbal nouns (such as survival from survive). However, in English grammar it is a little accepted view, on the grounds that it would make nearly all nouns verbal nouns; but in some other languages, such as Arabic, that view is the only possible one, as there is no gerund or infinitive form of a verb (the Arabic masdar is a verbal noun: naql, for example, can be translated as "transporting" or "to transport", but its literal meaning is "transportation".) In linguistics, a participle is a verbal adjective. ... Imperfect has several meanings: The imperfect tense in linguistics an imperfect cadence in music theory This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... In linguistics, a participle is a verbal adjective. ... In linguistics, a gerund is a kind of verbal noun that exists in some languages. ...

In other languages:

German:

• Das Trinken des Wassers ist uns wesentlich ("to drink water is essential to us" - Trinken is the verbal noun)

Arabic:

• من الممكن مقابلته غدا mina lmumkini muqābalatuhu ghadan ("it is possible to interview him tomorrow" - muqābalah is the verbal noun, and its literal meaning is "an interview")

See also

• Gerund
• Infinitive