Dampfende

Dampfende is the present participle form of the German verb dampfen, meaning to emit steam or vapor. As an adjective it denotes that something is producing or releasing steam, and it can describe objects or substances that are hot and steaming.

In use, dampfende is typically an attributive adjective placed before a noun, with endings that reflect gender, number, and case. Common examples include dampfende Suppe (the steaming soup), dampfende Nudeln (steaming noodles) and dampfendes Wasser (steaming water). The form can also appear in predicative constructions such as Die Suppe ist dampfend, though dampfend is more common in everyday language than the fully inflected forms.

Etymologically, dampfen refers to the action of emitting vapor, with Dampf meaning steam. The suffix -ende marks the present participle, which in German often functions as an adjective rather than as a verb in a sentence. This makes dampfende versatile in descriptive writing, cooking contexts, and technical descriptions where steam is involved.

Dampfende is largely favored in contexts where the emphasis is on the visual or sensory aspect of steam rising from a kettle, pot, or chaude dish. It can occur in both literal descriptions—such as in recipes or kitchen scenes—and metaphorical uses in literature to convey energy, agitation, or activity.

See also: dampf (steam), dampfen (to steam), Dampfmaschine (steam engine).