Present participle in Dutch
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HideDefinition and usage of the Dutch present participle
The present participle in Dutch is used to indicate that an action is taking place, while another action is also taking place. The subject in the sentence performing two actions at the same time.
| Situation | Example | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| Two actions that are taking place at the same time. |
|
|
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Forming the present participle
The following rule is used to form the present participle:
Infinitive + d
Example
| Infinitive | Present participle | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| schudden | Schuddend met de kaarten liep hij weg. | He walked away, while shaking the cards. |
| rennen | Rennend ging zij naar haar werk. | She went to work, running. |
| denken | Denkend aan de zomer fietste hij naar huis. | He cycled home, while thinking of Summer. |
| zweven | Zwevend kwam de vogel veilig naar beneden. | The bird came down safely by floating. |
The present participle can also be used as an adjective, where the infinitive sometimes gets '+ de'.
Example: 'Dansende mensen' (Dancing people), 'een huilend kind' (a crying child).
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