Sprekende

Sprekende is a Dutch term that primarily functions as the present participle of the verb spreken, meaning to speak. It is used as an adjective meaning “speaking” or “involving speaking,” and can describe people, actions, or phenomena related to speech.

As a descriptive word, sprekende typically modifies a noun to indicate that the subject is speaking or has speaking as a characteristic. Examples include phrases like de sprekende stem (the speaking voice) or de sprekende tolk (the speaking interpreter). In similar fashion, one can refer to sprekende taalgebruik or sprekende communicatie when discussing the act or style of speaking in a broader sense. The form is part of the broader Dutch system of present participles used as adjectives.

In linguistic and rhetorical contexts, sprekende may be used to emphasize the aspect of speaking within dialogue, discourse, or speech acts. It is distinct from de verleden tijd participles such as gesproken (spoken), which describe something that has already been uttered rather than the act of speaking itself. The core related terms include spreken (to speak), spreker (speaker), spraak (speech), and sprekende (the participial adjective form).

See also: spreken, spreker, spraak, gesproken.