German Grammar A–Z
Look up German grammar topics A–Z, organized by category and level — with clear explanations and examples.
Participles as Adjectives (Partizip als Adjektiv)
As we know, there are many ways to form an adjective. Besides using nouns or verbs, we can use the Partizip in the present or past tense as an adjective. How to form adjectives from the Partizip is what we will explore in the article below.
Let's get started!
First, we have these examples:
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Der Zug fährt durch einen Tunne (1 sentence)
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der Zug, der durch einen Tunnel fährt (1 clause)
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der durch einen Tunnel fahrende Zug (1 phrase)
We can see that the three examples above can be converted into one another: example (1) can be turned into example (2) or (3), and conversely the latter two can also be turned into example (1). However, there is a difference: the verb in example (1) has become an adjective in example (3).
In German, long adjective phrases formed from the Partizip are usually used in writing and in texts of a high language level, for example in legal and scientific texts, etc.
Forming adjectives from the Partizip is very simple and easy to remember:
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Partizip I (Partizip Präsens)
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Infinitiv + “d” + Adjektivendung (adjective ending) |
Example: parken + “d” = parkend
parken + “d” + Adjektivendung = das parkende Auto (the parking car)
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When used as an adjective, Partizip I always has an active meaning and expresses an action that is taking place.
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Partizip I has a passive meaning when it expresses an action that needs to be or can be carried out in the following structure:
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zu + Partizip I |
Example: Die Vitamine, die täglich eingenommen werden müssen/können = Die täglich einzunehmenden Vitamine
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Partizip II (Partizip Perfekt)
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Partizip II + Adjektivendung (adjective ending) |
Example: das geparkte Auto (the parked car)
ein gekauftes Haus ( a house that has been bought)
Partizip II used as an adjective has an active meaning when it is the Partizip II of verbs that take the auxiliary verb “sein” in the perfect tense (Perfekt).
Example: ankommen, vergehen.
In this case, Partizip II is used to express an activity that has ended.
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Note: - When there are elements accompanying the Partizip, they always stand to the left of the Partizip and do not take an adjective ending.
- The Partizip II of the verbs “sein”, “haben” and verbs that have no Akkusativ object, such as: arbeiten, leben, schlafen, sitzen, stehen, antworten, danken, drohen, gefallen, nützen, schaden, cannot be used as adjectives.
