Dutch grammar: gebruik van participiumconstructies

What this grammar point covers

Participium constructions in Dutch use the past or present participle to make sentences shorter or to add extra information, often instead of a full relative clause.

When to use it

You use participium constructions in Dutch to describe an action or state connected to the subject or object, often to make your sentences more concise or formal. They are common in written Dutch and can replace relative clauses.

Key forms

• Het participium (verleden of tegenwoordig deelwoord) + extra informatie
• Bijvoorbeeld: 'De lachende man', 'De deur geopend zijnde'

Examples

Tips

• The participium agrees in gender and number with the noun it describes.
• Be careful not to use participium constructions too much in spoken Dutch; they are more common in writing.
• Some verbs have irregular participium forms.

Exceptions and edge cases

• Some participium forms are irregular, like 'gegaan' (from 'gaan').
• Not all verbs can form present participles in Dutch.