Partizip I (active feel)

Built from infinitive + -d:

• ein lachendes Kind
• die arbeitende Gruppe

Partizip II (passive/result feel)

From past participle:

• die geschlossene Tür
• ein geschriebenes Protokoll

Endings still required

When used attributively, normal adjective endings apply by case/gender/article.

Style

Participle adjectives make writing more compact in B1/B2 texts.

Practical Examples

1. Das spielende Kind lachte laut.

• The playing child laughed loudly.
• spielend (present participle) describes an ongoing action of the child.

1. Ist das laufende Wasser sauber?

• Is the running water clean?
• laufend (present participle) describes the current state or action of the water.

1. Ich mag keine bellenden Hunde.

• I don't like barking dogs.
• bellend (present participle) describes a characteristic or ongoing action of the dogs.

1. Der Film war sehr spannend.

• The film was very exciting.
• spannend (present participle of spannen – to stretch/tense) describes the quality of the film, causing excitement.

1. Sie hat eine faszinierende Geschichte erzählt.

• She told a fascinating story.
• faszinierend (present participle of faszinieren – to fascinate) describes the quality of the story.

1. Das gekochte Gemüse schmeckt gut.

• The cooked vegetables taste good.
• gekocht (past participle) describes the state of the vegetables after an action has been completed.

1. Hast du das geschriebene Buch gelesen?

• Have you read the written book?
• geschrieben (past participle) describes the state of the book (it has been written).

1. Das ist keine verlorene Sache.

• That is not a lost cause.
• verloren (past participle) describes the state of the cause (it is not lost).

1. Die geöffnete Tür führte in den Garten.

• The opened door led into the garden.
• geöffnet (past participle) describes the state of the door (it is open as a result of being opened).

1. Sind alle gesuchten Dokumente gefunden worden?

• Have all the sought documents been found?
• gesucht (past participle) describes the characteristic of the documents (they are wanted/sought).

1. Ich habe die reparierte Uhr zurückbekommen.

• I got the repaired watch back.
• repariert (past participle) describes the state of the watch after an action has been completed.

1. Die gestohlene Tasche wurde nie gefunden.

• The stolen bag was never found.
• gestohlen (past participle) describes the state of the bag (it was stolen).

1. Er hat ein gebrauchtes Auto gekauft.

• He bought a used car.
• gebraucht (past participle) describes the state of the car (it has been used before).

1. Ist das versprochene Geschenk angekommen?

• Has the promised gift arrived?
• versprochen (past participle) describes the characteristic of the gift (it was promised).

1. Wir haben die geschlossenen Geschäfte gesehen.

• We saw the closed shops.
• geschlossen (past participle) describes the state of the shops (they are closed as a result of being closed).