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Tense guide
Partizip Präsens (Present Participle)

Language: German
Tense:

Introduction

This German verb form is used to describe an action that is currently happening or ongoing. It often shows that something is happening at the same time as another action, or it turns an action into a description.

The most common use is to describe a noun (a person, place, or thing). It tells you what that noun is actively doing. The ending of this verb form often changes to match the noun it describes.

Der singende Vogel sitzt im Baum.
(The singing bird is sitting in the tree.)
Ich sehe ein fahrendes Auto.
(I see a moving car.)
Das weinende Kind sucht seine Mutter.
(The crying child is looking for its mother.)
Die lachenden Freunde gehen ins Café.
(The laughing friends are going to the café.)
Bitte gib mir das blinkende Licht.
(Please give me the flashing light.)

You can also use this form to describe another action. It shows that two actions are happening at the same time, done by the same person or thing. It explains *how* something is done.

Er geht pfeifend die Straße entlang.
(He walks down the street whistling.)
Sie lernt sitzend am Schreibtisch.
(She studies while sitting at the desk.)
Das Kind isst schweigend sein Frühstück.
(The child eats its breakfast silently.)
Wir verließen das Zimmer lachend.
(We left the room laughing.)

Less often, this verb form can be used as a noun. When this happens, it usually refers to a person who is doing that specific action.

Die Reisenden warten am Bahnhof.
(The travelers are waiting at the train station.)
Der Lesende hat die Frage nicht gehört.
(The person reading did not hear the question.)

Be careful! This form is used much less in German than the "-ing" form in English. You cannot use it to say "I am reading". For that, you simply say "Ich lese".

Conjugation patterns