German Participles as Adjectives: Partizip I & II
German participles as adjectives: form Partizip I (lachende Kinder) and Partizip II (gekochtes Ei) and add adjective endings. B1 reference with practice.
German participles as adjectives let you put a Partizip I or Partizip II directly in front of a noun: lachende Kinder (laughing children), gekochtes Ei (boiled egg). The construction is built in two stages — form the participle first, then add the normal adjective ending. Once you know adjective declension, the only new step is producing the participle stem.
Both participles work attributively, but they carry different meanings. Partizip I (infinitive + d) describes an action that is happening — active and ongoing, like English -ing. Partizip II (ge-…-t or ge-…-en) describes an action that has happened — usually passive and completed, like English -ed/-en. Picking the right participle is a content choice; declining it is mechanical.
Partizip I vs Partizip II at a glance
Forming the participle and then declining it both have to go right, so put both steps to the test in the free exercises near the bottom of this page — they require no sign-up and confirm each participle adjective the moment you answer.
| Partizip I | Partizip II | |
|---|---|---|
| Formation | infinitive + d | ge- + stem + -t (weak) / -en (strong) |
| Meaning | active, ongoing | usually passive, completed |
| English equivalent | -ing | -ed / -en |
| Example | das lachende Kind — the laughing child | das gekochte Ei — the boiled egg |
| Plural example | die spielenden Kinder | die verlorenen Schlüssel |
| Adjective ending | always added on top of -d | always added on top of -t / -en |
Both columns then decline like any other attributive adjective. That's the whole pattern in one table.
What are German participles used as adjectives?
A participle is a verb form that behaves like an adjective. German has two of them, and both can sit directly in front of a noun:
- Partizip I (the present participle): lachend — laughing
- Partizip II (the past participle): gekocht — boiled, cooked
Used attributively, the participle agrees with the noun in gender, number, and case — exactly like kalt in kalter Kaffee or neu in ein neues Buch. There is no separate "participle declension"; you reuse the rules from adjective declension.
das lachende Kind — the laughing child (Partizip I, weak nom. neuter)
ein gekochtes Ei — a boiled egg (Partizip II, mixed nom. neuter)
mit kochendem Wasser — with boiling water (Partizip I, strong dat. neuter)
The construction is dense and economical: in one phrase you pack a verb's action, its tense/aspect, and the noun it modifies.
How do you form Partizip I as an adjective?
The rule is the same for every German verb: infinitive + d.
| Infinitive | Partizip I | Attributive example |
|---|---|---|
| lachen | lachend | die lachenden Kinder |
| spielen | spielend | die spielenden Kinder |
| schlafen | schlafend | ein schlafendes Baby |
| lesen | lesend | der lesende Student |
| fahren | fahrend | ein fahrendes Auto |
| kochen | kochend | mit kochendem Wasser |
| brennen | brennend | ein brennendes Haus |
| wachsen | wachsend | die wachsende Stadt |
| singen | singend | das singende Mädchen |
| bellen | bellend | ein bellender Hund |
Die spielenden Kinder lachen laut. — The playing children laugh loudly.
Er beobachtet den vorbeifahrenden Zug. — He watches the passing train.
Wir sehen die aufgehende Sonne. — We watch the rising sun.
Partizip I always carries an active, ongoing meaning: the noun is performing the action right now.
- das singende Mädchen = the girl who is singing
- der laufende Motor = the engine that is running
- die wachsende Stadt = the city that is growing
How do you form Partizip II as an adjective?
Partizip II depends on the verb class and prefix.
Weak (regular) verbs: ge- + stem + -t
| Infinitive | Partizip II | Attributive example |
|---|---|---|
| kochen | gekocht | das gekochte Ei |
| machen | gemacht | die gemachte Arbeit |
| kaufen | gekauft | das gekaufte Buch |
| öffnen | geöffnet | das geöffnete Fenster |
| reparieren | repariert | das reparierte Auto* |
| studieren | studiert | der studierte Inhalt* |
*Verbs ending in -ieren never add ge-.
Strong (irregular) verbs: ge- + changed stem + -en
| Infinitive | Partizip II | Attributive example |
|---|---|---|
| schreiben | geschrieben | der geschriebene Brief |
| brechen | gebrochen | ein gebrochener Arm |
| finden | gefunden | das gefundene Geld |
| trinken | getrunken | das getrunkene Bier |
| stehlen | gestohlen | das gestohlene Fahrrad |
| waschen | gewaschen | die gewaschene Wäsche |
Inseparable prefixes (be-, er-, ver-, zer-, ent-, emp-, miss-): no ge-
| Infinitive | Partizip II | Attributive example |
|---|---|---|
| vergessen | vergessen | das vergessene Passwort |
| besuchen | besucht | der besuchte Patient |
| erzählen | erzählt | die erzählte Geschichte |
| empfehlen | empfohlen | der empfohlene Film |
| entdecken | entdeckt | die entdeckte Höhle |
Separable prefixes: prefix + ge- + stem
| Infinitive | Partizip II | Attributive example |
|---|---|---|
| aufmachen | aufgemacht | das aufgemachte Geschenk |
| einladen | eingeladen | die eingeladenen Gäste |
| zumachen | zugemacht | die zugemachte Tür |
Ich esse gern gekochte Eier. — I like boiled eggs.
Die eingeladenen Gäste kommen um acht. — The invited guests arrive at eight.
Wir trinken frisch gepressten Orangensaft. — We drink freshly squeezed orange juice.
Partizip II as an attribute usually has a passive, completed meaning: the action has been done to the noun.
- das reparierte Auto = the car that has been repaired
- die gestohlene Tasche = the bag that was stolen
For intransitive verbs of motion or change of state, the meaning is active but still completed:
- der angekommene Zug = the train that has arrived
- die gewachsene Stadt = the city that has grown
How are participle adjectives declined?
Participle adjectives reuse the three standard declension patterns — weak, mixed, and strong. The participle stem (-d for Partizip I, -t/-en for Partizip II) stays fixed; only the ending after it changes.
Weak declension (after der/die/das)
| Case | Masculine | Feminine | Neuter | Plural |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nom. | der lachende Mann | die lachende Frau | das lachende Kind | die lachenden Kinder |
| Akk. | den lachenden Mann | die lachende Frau | das lachende Kind | die lachenden Kinder |
| Dat. | dem lachenden Mann | der lachenden Frau | dem lachenden Kind | den lachenden Kindern |
| Gen. | des lachenden Mannes | der lachenden Frau | des lachenden Kindes | der lachenden Kinder |
Rule: -e in the nominative (all genders) and in the accusative feminine/neuter; -en everywhere else.
Mixed declension (after ein, kein, mein…)
| Case | Masculine | Feminine | Neuter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nom. | ein lachender Mann | eine lachende Frau | ein lachendes Kind |
| Akk. | einen lachenden Mann | eine lachende Frau | ein lachendes Kind |
| Dat. | einem lachenden Mann | einer lachenden Frau | einem lachenden Kind |
| Gen. | eines lachenden Mannes | einer lachenden Frau | eines lachenden Kindes |
Rule: where ein itself has no ending (masc. nom., neut. nom./akk.), the adjective carries the strong ending (-er, -es). Otherwise: -en.
Partizip II with weak declension (worked examples)
| Case | Example |
|---|---|
| Nom. | das reparierte Auto |
| Akk. | den geschriebenen Brief |
| Dat. | mit dem gebrochenen Arm |
| Gen. | wegen des gestohlenen Fahrrads |
For the strong-declension counterpart (no article in front), see strong adjective declension.
Partizip I vs Partizip II: meaning contrast
The form tells you the meaning. Same noun, different participle, different story:
| Partizip I — active, ongoing | Partizip II — passive, completed |
|---|---|
| das kochende Wasser — the boiling water | das gekochte Ei — the boiled egg |
| die spielenden Kinder — the children playing | die verlorenen Schlüssel — the lost keys |
| der laufende Motor — the running engine | der reparierte Motor — the repaired engine |
| die wachsende Stadt — the growing city | die erbaute Stadt — the built city |
| ein bellender Hund — a barking dog | ein trainierter Hund — a trained dog |
| das fahrende Auto — the moving car | das gestohlene Fahrrad — the stolen bicycle |
| die steigende Temperatur — the rising temperature | die gemessene Temperatur — the measured temperature |
If you can render the idea in English as "-ing", reach for Partizip I. If "-ed/-en" feels right, reach for Partizip II.
Common pitfalls and how to avoid them
These are the participle-adjective errors learners make most often, with the corrected form.
| Mistake | Why it's wrong | Correct form |
|---|---|---|
| ein lachender Mann used everywhere → mit lachend Mann | -end is the participle stem, not the adjective ending. You still need an ending on top: -em for masc. dative. | mit einem lachenden Mann (or strong: mit lachendem Mann) |
| die lachten Kinder (mixing Partizip II ending with Partizip I meaning) | Partizip I = active "laughing"; Partizip II of lachen would be gelacht (passive "laughed at", which is rare). | die lachenden Kinder — the laughing children |
| ein gekocht Ei (no adjective ending) | Partizip II as a predicate (das Ei ist gekocht) is uninflected; as an attribute it must decline. | ein gekochtes Ei |
| das gekochte Wasser when you mean "boiling" | Partizip II = "already boiled", not "in the process of boiling". | das kochende Wasser — the boiling water |
| ein vergessenes Passwort → ein gevergessenes Passwort | Verbs with inseparable prefixes (be-, er-, ver-, zer-, ent-, emp-, miss-) never take ge-. | das vergessene Passwort |
| das geschlafene Kind | schlafen is intransitive without change of state — no attributive Partizip II. | das schlafende Kind (Partizip I works fine) |
| der reparierende Mechaniker when you mean "the repaired car" | Partizip I keeps the active reading: it's the mechanic doing the repairing, not what got repaired. | das reparierte Auto |
The shortcut: choose the participle for meaning, then decline like any normal adjective.
Style note: when Germans skip Partizip I
Partizip I attributive constructions are common in writing and formal speech, but rarer in casual conversation. Spoken German often prefers a relative clause:
- das lachende Kind (formal) → das Kind, das lacht (conversational)
- die steigenden Preise (news/economics) → die Preise, die steigen (everyday)
Partizip II as an attribute is fully natural at every register, because so many of these forms have settled into the lexicon as plain adjectives: bekannt (known), beliebt (popular), geeignet (suitable), geschlossen (closed), geöffnet (open), verboten (forbidden), erlaubt (allowed). Many of these are also the starting point for nominalized adjectives — der Bekannte (the acquaintance), der Verlobte (the fiancé).
10 exercises on this rule · about 5 min
Frequently asked questions
How do you use German participles as adjectives?
Form the participle first, then add a normal adjective ending. Partizip I = infinitive + d (lachen → lachend), Partizip II = ge-…-t / ge-…-en (kochen → gekocht). Then decline like any other adjective: das lachende Kind, ein gekochtes Ei.
What is the difference between Partizip I and Partizip II as adjectives?
Partizip I is active and ongoing — die lachenden Kinder (the children who are laughing). Partizip II is usually passive and completed — das gekochte Ei (the egg that has been boiled). They map roughly to English -ing and -ed forms.
Why is it lachende Kinder and not lachend Kinder?
Lachend is the bare participle; it can stand alone as an adverb (Sie kam lachend herein). But when it sits before a noun it becomes an attributive adjective and must take an adjective ending — here -e for nominative plural with the definite article: die lachenden Kinder.
Do participles as adjectives use weak, mixed, or strong endings?
All three — the choice depends on the article in front, exactly as for any adjective declension. After der/die/das = weak (-e/-en), after ein/kein/mein = mixed, with no article = strong endings.
Are all Partizip II forms usable as adjectives?
Almost all transitive verbs work (gekocht, geschrieben, repariert). For intransitive verbs, only those that describe a change of state allow it (der angekommene Zug, die gewachsene Stadt) — you can't say der geschlafene Mann.
What is the most common mistake with Partizip I adjectives?
Forgetting to add the adjective ending on top of -end. Learners write ein lachender Mann correctly but then drop the ending in other cases — mit lachend Mann instead of mit lachendem Mann. The -d is part of the participle, not the adjective ending.
Can I practise participle adjectives like lachende Kinder for free?
Yes — the trainer on this page drills both Partizip I (lachend-) and Partizip II (gekocht-) with the right ending stacked on top. It is free, takes no sign-up, and grades each participle form the instant you answer.