B1 Danish GrammarParticipial Adjectives
Use present and past participles as adjectives in Danish to create more descriptive and sophisticated language. Learn when to use the -ende (present) and -t/-et (past) participle forms and how they agree with the noun they modify.
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1Present Participle as Adjective (-ende)
The present participle is formed by adding -ende to the verb stem. It describes an ongoing action or state and functions like an adjective meaning '-ing' in English. Unlike regular adjectives, -ende participles do NOT change form for gender or number.
Present Participle Formation
| Infinitive | Participle | As Adjective | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| løbe | løbende | den løbende mand | the running man |
| sove | sovende | et sovende barn | a sleeping child |
| smile | smilende | den smilende pige | the smiling girl |
| skinne | skinnende | den skinnende sol | the shining sun |
| brænde | brændende | det brændende hus | the burning house |
Examples
Den løbende hund jagede katten.
The running dog chased the cat.
-ende does not change (common gender)
Barnet vĂĄgnede med et smilende ansigt.
The child woke up with a smiling face.
-ende with neuter noun (no change)
De sovende børn lå i sengen.
The sleeping children lay in bed.
-ende with plural (no change)
En blinkende lampe hang i vinduet.
A blinking lamp hung in the window.
blinke → blinkende
2Past Participle as Adjective
The past participle can function as an adjective, typically describing a completed state or result. Unlike -ende forms, past participles DO agree with the noun in gender and number: -t for neuter, -e for plural/definite. The base form is used with common gender indefinite.
Past Participle Agreement
| Base Form | Neuter | Plural/Definite | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| lukket | lukket | lukkede | closed |
| ĂĄbnet | ĂĄbnet | ĂĄbnede | opened |
| malet | malet | malede | painted |
| brugt | brugt | brugte | used |
| skrevet | skrevet | skrevne | written |
Examples
En lukket dør stod i vejen.
A closed door stood in the way.
lukket with common gender indefinite
Et malet billede hang på væggen.
A painted picture hung on the wall.
malet with neuter indefinite
De ĂĄbnede vinduer gav frisk luft.
The opened windows gave fresh air.
ĂĄbnede with plural
Den stjĂĄlne cykel blev fundet.
The stolen bicycle was found.
stjĂĄlne with definite (irregular)
3Present vs Past Participle Meaning
Choose between present (-ende) and past participle based on meaning. Present participle describes the actor doing the action (active): den trættende film (the tiring movie - it tires you). Past participle describes the result or affected item (passive): den trætte mand (the tired man - he is tired).
Active (-ende) vs Passive (past participle)
| Present Participle | Meaning | Past Participle | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| trættende | tiring (causes tiredness) | træt | tired (feels tired) |
| interesserende | interesting (causes interest) | interesseret | interested (feels interest) |
| forvirrende | confusing (causes confusion) | forvirret | confused (feels confused) |
| chokerende | shocking (causes shock) | chokeret | shocked (feels shock) |
Examples
Filmen var meget trættende.
The movie was very tiring.
trættende = causes tiredness (active)
Jeg var træt efter filmen.
I was tired after the movie.
træt = feeling tired (result)
Det var en chokerende nyhed.
It was shocking news.
chokerende = causes shock
Vi var alle chokerede.
We were all shocked.
chokerede = feeling shock (result)
4Compound Participial Adjectives
Danish creates compound participial adjectives by combining words. These follow the same agreement rules. Common patterns include: noun + participle (hjemmelavet = homemade), adverb + participle (velskrevet = well-written), and adjective + participle (nybygget = newly built).
Common Compound Participles
| Compound | Components | English | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| hjemmelavet | hjemme + lavet | homemade | hjemmelavet kage |
| velkendt | vel + kendt | well-known | en velkendt sanger |
| nybygget | ny + bygget | newly built | et nybygget hus |
| hĂĄndskrevet | hĂĄnd + skrevet | handwritten | et hĂĄndskrevet brev |
| langvarig | lang + varig | long-lasting | en langvarig sygdom |
Examples
Hun bagte en hjemmelavet kage.
She baked a homemade cake.
hjemme + lavet = homemade
Han er en velkendt forfatter.
He is a well-known author.
vel + kendt = well-known
De bor i et nybygget hus.
They live in a newly built house.
ny + bygget = newly built
Jeg modtog et hĂĄndskrevet brev.
I received a handwritten letter.
hĂĄnd + skrevet = handwritten
Practice Exercises
5 exercises
Complete: 'Hun velsignede den ___ prins.' (She blessed the sleeping prince.)
Complete: 'Sarahs far medbragte ___ suppe.' (Sarah's father brought homemade soup.)
Complete: 'Prinsesse Jasmine byttede den for en ___ ny lampe.' (Princess Jasmine traded it for a shiny new lamp.)
Complete: 'Maria parkerede uden for en ___ lejlighedsbygning.' (Maria parked outside a familiar apartment building.)
Which describes the cause vs the result? 'Den ___ film' (The tiring movie) vs 'Den ___ mand' (The tired man)
See Real Examples in Stories
Now that you've practiced, see this grammar in context
“Hun svævede over skibet og velsignede den sovende prins en sidste gang.”
“Sarahs far havde medbragt hjemmelavet suppe i en termokande.”
“Prinsesse Jasmine, der ikke kendte lampens sande værdi, byttede den for en skinnende ny.”
“Maria parkerede sin bil uden for en velkendt etageejendom.”
“Tom siger nej, kun en løbende næse.”
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