Partizip I & Partizip II in German
Partizip I & Partizip II
Partizip I (Present Participle, Partizip Präsens)
- Expresses an ongoing action (similar to -ing in English).
- Functions as an adjective, adverb, or noun.
- Often replaces relative clauses.
Partizip II (Past Participle, Partizip Perfekt)
- Expresses a completed action.
- Used in perfect tenses, passive voice, and adjectives.
Partizip I (Present Participle)
How to Form Partizip I
Verb stem + -d
Infinitive | Partizip I |
lachen (to laugh) | lachend (laughing) |
gehen (to go) | gehend (going) |
arbeiten (to work) | arbeitend (working) |
schlafen (to sleep) | schlafend (sleeping) |
Uses of Partizip I
As an Adjective
- Describes a simultaneous
- Works like a normal adjective (declined like adjectives).
Das lachende Kind ist glücklich.
The laughing child is happy.
Der schlafende Hund sieht süß aus.
The sleeping dog looks cute.
Note: Partizip I adjectives must be declined (-e, -er, -em, -en).
Replacing a Relative Clause
Instead of:
Ein Mann, der singt, steht auf der Bühne. (A man who is singing is on the stage.)
Use Partizip I:
Ein singender Mann steht auf der Bühne.
Note: This makes the sentence shorter and more formal.
As a Noun (Nominalized Partizip I)
Used as a noun for people or things performing an action.
Der Lernende braucht Ruhe.
The learner needs peace.
Die Studierenden schreiben eine Prüfung.
The students are taking an exam.
Note: Partizip I nouns are always capitalized!
Partizip II (Past Participle)
How to Form Partizip II
Regular Verbs (Weak Verbs)
ge- + verb stem + -t
Infinitive | Partizip II |
machen (to do) | gemacht (done) |
spielen (to play) | gespielt (played) |
kaufen (to buy) | gekauft (bought) |
Irregular Verbs (Strong Verbs)
ge- + verb stem (changed) + -en
Infinitive | Partizip II |
gehen (to go) | gegangen (gone) |
schreiben (to write) | geschrieben (written) |
trinken (to drink) | getrunken (drunk) |
Verbs with Prefixes
- Inseparable Prefixes (be-, ver-, er-, ent-, ge-, miss-, zer-) → NO ge- prefix
verkaufen → verkauft (sold)
verstehen → verstanden (understood) - Separable Prefixes (ab-, an-, auf-, mit-, nach-, zu-, etc.) → ge- between the prefix and verb
aufmachen → aufgemacht (opened)
zumachen → zugemacht (closed)
Note: Modal verbs (können, müssen, etc.) rarely form Partizip II but appear in compound forms.
Uses of Partizip II
In Perfect and Past Tenses
Used in Perfekt (present perfect) & Plusquamperfekt (past perfect) with “haben/sein”.
Ich habe einen Kaffee getrunken.
I have drunk a coffee.
Er ist nach Hause gegangen.
He has gone home.
Note: “Sein” is used with verbs of motion or change of state.
In Passive Voice
Used with werden to form the passive voice.
Das Auto wird repariert.
The car is being repaired.
Das Haus wurde gebaut.
The house was built.
Note: The past participle stays at the end in passive sentences.
As an Adjective (Passive Meaning)
- Describes a completed action.
- Declined like an adjective.
Die geschriebene E-Mail ist wichtig.
The written email is important.
Das gekochte Essen schmeckt gut.
The cooked food tastes good.
Note: Partizip II adjectives describe something that has already happened.