German Verbs
1. What is a Partizip?
The participle (das Partizip) is a verb form. In German grammar, there are two types of participle:
Partizip I is the present participle (similar to the -ing form in English). It always ends in -d.
Example:
- winken – winkend
- Partizip II is the past participle (similar to the -ed form in English).
Example:
- lachen – gelacht
We can use participles as adjectives, to shorten or replace clauses or to build compound German tenses.
1.1. What is the Partizip I?
The Partizip I is the present participle. Grammatically, it is similar to the English -ing form, but it is used far less in German than in English.
1.2. What is the Partizip II?
Das Partizip II (past participle) is the third form of the verb.
Example:
- gehen – ging – gegangen
- haben – hatte – gehabt
1.2.1. How to form the past participle in German
Generally, we form German past participles with the prefix ge- and the endings -t or -en. The past participle ending depends on the type of verb:
regular (weak) verbs and mixed verbs take the ending -t
Examples:
- lernen – gelernt (regular verb)
- nennen – genannt (mixed verb)
irregular (strong) verbs take the ending -en
Examples:
- sehen – gesehen
- treffen – getroffen