# EN: dare (to) + infinitive



## titegiv

All is in the title!

Should I say: who dare to challenge me? or who dareS to challenge me?

who dare challenge me? is not correct, isn't it? we have to put "to" after dare...

Thanks a lot !

*Moderator note: *multiple threads merged to create this one


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## jann

"To dare" is one of those semi-modals that may be followed either by a bare infinitive (like a true modal), or by a to-infinitive (like a normal verb).

Since you are asking a question -- _Qui ose...?_ -- your "who" is a 3rd person singular subject pronoun (just as in French).  And so you need a 3rd person singular conjugation...

--> Who dares (to) challenge me?  

The word "to" is optional.  The meaning is not affected by your choice.  To my ear, the sentences are interchangeable.


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## quinoa

Shouldn't we say :
"He dares to  challenge me"  versus " he dare challenge me" ?


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## geostan

quinoa said:


> Shouldn't we say :
> "He dares to  challenge me"  versus " he dare challenge me" ?



As Jann said, it's _dares_ in either case.


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## quinoa

In France it is taught that need and dare used without to are considered auxiliaries and don't have "s" in the third person as is said here.


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## Coq

What about "*How dare you *do that?"
For the 3d person it will be "How dares he do that?" ?


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## Maître Capello

According to the TFD:


> *Usage Note: * Depending on its sense, the verb _dare_ sometimes behaves like an auxiliary verb (such as _can_ or _may_) and sometimes like a main verb (such as _want_ or _try_). When used as an auxiliary verb, _dare_ does not change to agree with its subject: _Let him say that if he dare._ […] Finally, it does not take _to_ before the verb that follows it: _If you dare breathe a word about it, I'll never speak to you again._ When used as a main verb, _dare_ does agree with its subject (_If he dares to show up at her house I'll be surprised_) […]. It may optionally take _to_ before the verb following it: _No one dares_ (or _dares to_) _speak freely about the political situation._ The auxiliary forms differ subtly in meaning from the main verb forms in that they emphasize the attitude or involvement of the speaker while the main verb forms present a more objective situation. Thus _How dare you operate this machinery without proper training?_ expresses indignation at the action, whereas _How do you dare to operate this machinery without proper training?_ is a genuine request for information…


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## totallylost202

Coq said:


> What about "*How dare you *do that?"
> For the 3d person it will be "How dares he do that?" ?


 
No. Dare in the 3rd person singular is he/she dares. The inversion keeps this, just like it would in French

(Sorry for any confusion beforehand, I'm busy but wanted to help and made a mistake in haste. I read too quickly!)


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## geostan

No. In this case, one says: _How dare he do that_?

I've never thought about this before. Perhaps it is usually _dare_ for the third person, but it doesn't work for _who_. 

How dare she say such a thing?
He dare not show his face this morning.
Who dares (to) face me with only a sling?

It would also seem that _to_ is only possible if it directly follows the verb _dare_.

All this is only conjecture. I really don't know!!!


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## marget

I would say "How dare he do that"? I agree with quinoa and geostan.


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## freevillage

The rule is you say either

Who dares to do that?

or

Who dare do that?

However, dare is one semi-modal verb that people routinely misuse in everyday speech at least here in the US. If you learn English I would suggest sticking with the "to" form.


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## totallylost202

Oops!
I read it too quickly. Apologies! geostan, thanks for pointing it out. 

I completely agree with you. It can't be _how dares he do that_. 

*changes post*


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## catherinem

I second "How dare he," but in speaking I wouldn't say "How dare he do that!"
Rather, I would simply say, "How dare he!"


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## geostan

freevillage said:


> The rule is you say either
> 
> Who dares to do that?
> 
> or
> 
> Who dare do that?
> 
> However, dare is one semi-modal verb that people routinely misuse in everyday speech at least here in the US. If you learn English I would suggest sticking with the "to" form.



With or without _to_, the only possible form here is _dares_.

As for Catherinem's suggestion, this would only work for that question. With any other verb, you would need the whole sentence. See my examples above.


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## CapnPrep

I guess it is too late to point out that these two questions (With or without _-s_? With or without _to_?) have been asked and answered several times in the English Only forum.
* Who dares meddle with me?*
* How dare he**
**  Dare, or dare to? *
*how dares he to appear...
**Dare or Dares*


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## radagasty

freevillage said:


> The rule is you say either
> 
> Who dares to do that?
> 
> or
> 
> Who dare do that?


 


geostan said:


> With or without _to_, the only possible form here is _dares_.


 
Hmm... I want to disagree here, for if _to dare _is used as a full verb, i.e., conjugated _dares_, it cannot be followed by a bare infinitive. However, a quotation from _Macbeth_ comes to mind:

_I dare do all that may become a man:_
_Who dares do more is none._

Of course, Shakespearean English is not contemporary English, but it still makes me uncomfortable. (That _who_ here is not an nterrogative pronoun is irrelevant.) I would probably opt for _Who dares to... _myself.


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## geostan

radagasty said:


> Hmm... I want to disagree here, for if _to dare _is used as a full verb, i.e., conjugated _dares_, it cannot be followed by a bare infinitive. However, a quotation from _Macbeth_ comes to mind:
> 
> _I dare do all that may become a man:_
> _Who dares do more is none._
> 
> Of course, Shakespearean English is not contemporary English, but it still makes me uncomfortable. (That _who_ here is not an nterrogative pronoun is irrelevant.) I would probably opt for _Who dares to... _myself.



My observation had to do with the choice of _dare_ vs _dares_, not with the issue of to or its omission. I would  use the preposition, but I am not prepared to say that its omission is incorrect.


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## radagasty

geostan said:


> My observation had to do with the choice of _dare_ vs _dares_, not with the issue of to or its omission. I would use the preposition, but I am not prepared to say that its omission is incorrect.


 
Mine likewise, but I don't see that the two issues are unrelated, since which form you choose depends on whether you're using_ dare _as a modal or a full verb, which in turn determines whether the full or the bare infinitive follows, and therefore the presence/absence of _to._


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## drassum

Re-bonjour,

Quelqu'un pourrait-il m'indiquer si, en fin de phrase, le verbe "dare" est nécessairement suivi par "to+base verbale":
"I wanted to call her but I didn't dare".
"I wanted to call her but I didn't dare *to*".
"I wanted to call her but I didn't dare *to call/to speak to her"*.

D'avance merci pour votre aide.


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## Franglais1969

Salut,

Personally, none of the suggestions sound _natural_ to me. I think I would say something like:

_I didn't dare call her, even though I wanted to._

I'll let others explain the grammar etc to you, but I am afraid that I could never see myself saying any of your three examples.


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## Omelette

Hello, Drassum. I think, in terms of grammar, all your options are correct.  Obviously, your option #3a - "I wanted to call her but I didn't dare to call her" - sounds rather repetitive and would normally be avoided. 
There is no need to follow 'dare' with 'to' in those structures. But it wouldn't be wrong either. 
You could say either '...but I didn't dare' or '...but I didn't dare *to*'. Both seem very natural to me.
(Similarly, in Franglais' example, you could choose between 'I didn't dare call her' and 'I didn't dare *to* call her'.)


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