Grammar: Participle I and II simply explained! Learn German B1-C1

Summary

In this video lesson, Julia from Lingster Academy explains the difference between participle I and participle II in German. She breaks down how participle II (past participle) is used to express completed actions, often functioning as an adjective, while participle I (present participle) describes ongoing or simultaneous actions. Julia also discusses the use of the gerundive and emphasizes the importance of understanding the logical usage of verbs when creating participles. The lesson aims to clarify common misunderstandings and help learners use participles correctly in German grammar.

Takeaways

• 😀 Participle I and II are important concepts in German grammar that many learners struggle to differentiate and use correctly.
• 😀 Participle II is used to describe completed actions and is common in compound tenses like the present perfect, past perfect, and passive voice.
• 😀 Participle II can be used as an adjective to describe a finished process, like 'cooked food' or 'written text'.
• 😀 Not all verbs can use the past participle as an adjective. Verbs without an accusative object, like 'sleep', 'work', and 'help', don't work in this form.
• 😀 Participle I describes an ongoing process or something happening simultaneously with another action, often called the present participle.
• 😀 Participle I is formed by adding '-d' to the infinitive form of a verb (e.g., 'to travel' becomes 'traveling').
• 😀 Participle I can also be used with the appropriate ending as an adjective or attribute, such as 'traveling students' or 'rising costs'.
• 😀 The gerundive form of Participle I (with 'to') indicates actions that need to be done, such as 'the form to be filled in' or 'the windows to be painted'.
• 😀 You can't always form a meaningful adjective from every verb using Participle I, as shown by examples like 'writing text', which doesn’t make sense.
• 😀 Understanding when and how to use participles correctly is essential for mastering the German language, especially when it comes to forming tenses and adjectives.

Q & A

What is the difference between past participle II and participle I in German?

The past participle II refers to a completed action, and is used in perfect tenses, past perfect, future II, and passive voice. Participles II are often used as adjectives to describe something that is finished. In contrast, participle I refers to actions that are still in progress or happening at the same time as another action, and it is also used as an adjective to describe ongoing processes.

How is the past participle used in German?

The past participle in German is used to form compound tenses like the perfect (e.g., 'I cooked'), past perfect (e.g., 'I had cooked'), future II (e.g., 'I will have cooked'), and the passive voice (e.g., 'spaghetti is cooked'). It expresses actions that are completed or finished.

Can every past participle be used as an adjective in German?

Not every past participle can be used as an adjective. Only those that make sense logically when describing a noun can be used. For example, 'the cooked food' is logical, but 'the sleeping child' is not a proper use of past participle II because 'sleep' is an ongoing action.

What is the role of participle I in German?

Participle I describes an ongoing or concurrent action, indicating that something is happening at the moment or is in progress. It is formed by adding '-d' to the infinitive of the verb and can function as an adjective, as in 'the sleeping child' or 'the working computer.'

How is participle I formed in German?

Participle I is formed by taking the infinitive of the verb and adding '-d' to it. For example, 'to travel' becomes 'traveling,' and 'to rise' becomes 'rising.' These participles can then be used as adjectives.

What is the 'gerundive' form of participle I?

The gerundive form of participle I is used with 'to' and describes actions that must be or can be done. For example, 'the windows to be painted' means that the windows have to be painted, and 'the form to be filled in' means the form must be filled out.

How does 'to + participle I' function in German?

'To + participle I' is used to express actions that need to be done or are required. For example, 'the windows to be painted' means windows that need painting. It functions to show necessity or obligation.

Can every verb be used to form participle I in German?

While most verbs can be used to form participle I, not all combinations make logical sense. For example, 'a writing text' is incorrect because a text cannot perform the action of writing. However, verbs referring to actions that can logically describe a noun can form participle I.

Why can't 'writing text' be used in German?

'Writing text' is not a logical combination because a text cannot perform the action of writing. People write, not texts. Therefore, 'writing' is only logical when applied to people, such as 'writing students' or 'writing teachers.'

What is the general logic behind using participles as adjectives in German?

The logic behind using participles as adjectives in German is that they describe actions that are either completed (in the case of past participles) or ongoing (in the case of participle I). They are used to provide additional information about a noun, such as whether an action is finished or still taking place.