De lachende kinderen spelen buiten.
English: The laughing children are playing outside.
- Language
- Dutch
- Level
- B1
- Unit
- Bijvoeglijke naamwoorden en vergelijking
- Practice types
- 0
What this grammar point covers
In Dutch, 'bijvoeglijk gebruikte onvoltooid deelwoorden' are present participles used as adjectives. They describe a noun by showing that something is happening.
When to use it
Use this form to describe a noun that is doing something at the same time. It shows that the action is happening now or continuously.
Key forms
- The infinitive stem + -end (e.g., lopend, zingend)
- Add -e for adjective agreement (e.g., lopende man, zingende kinderen)
Examples
Ik zie een rennende hond.
English: I see a running dog.
De brandende kaars staat op tafel.
English: The burning candle is on the table.
Hij heeft een zwemmende kat gezien.
English: He has seen a swimming cat.
Tips
- Always add -e when the participle is used before a noun (bijvoeglijk).
- Do not use this form for completed actions.
- Some verbs do not use this form often; check if your sentence sounds natural.
Exceptions and edge cases
- Some verbs rarely form a present participle as an adjective, especially stative verbs like 'zijn'.