Sitzenden

Sitzenden is a German noun formed from the present participle sitzend of the verb sitzen. It denotes people who are seated. In standard usage the noun is capitalized as Sitzenden and is most often used in the plural: die Sitzenden. The singular forms are der Sitzende (masculine) or die Sitzende (feminine). The term appears mainly in formal writing, descriptive reporting, or analytical contexts to distinguish those who are seated from those who stand.

In political and parliamentary discourse, Sitzender (or Sitzende in the plural) is commonly employed to refer to incumbents—current officeholders or members who currently hold seats—often contrasted with challengers or prospective candidates. For example, a report might note the positions of the Sitzenden Abgeordneten in a debate or election.

Outside politics, the term can appear in contexts describing crowds, audiences, or attendees at events, such as "die Sitzenden im Saal," meaning the people who are seated in the hall. In everyday speech, however, speakers more often use alternatives such as die Anwesenden or das Publikum, depending on the exact meaning intended.

Etymologically, Sitzenden is a nominalized form derived from sitzen and the present participle sitzend, with standard German nounization rules applying. The plural form follows the regular pattern for masculine/feminine noun plurals in this construction.

See also: Sitzplatz, Sitzordnung, Anwesende.