activeparticiple

An active participle is a non-finite verb form that denotes ongoing or habitual action performed by the subject. The term is used to distinguish forms that express active voice from those that express passive voice, such as past participles. In English, the closest equivalent is the present participle, typically formed with the suffix -ing, which marks progressive aspect and can function attributively as an adjective (the walking dog) or adverbially in complex verb constructions (It is walking).

Formation and function vary by language. Active participles are often derived from verb stems with specific endings and may inflect for tense, aspect, voice, and, in languages with gender and number agreement, for those categories as well. They can behave syntactically like verbs in periphrastic constructions, while also serving as adjectives or as reduced relative clauses. For example, Latin present active participles such as amans (loving) agree with the noun they modify in gender, number, and case, and can introduce relative information. In English and other languages, the active participle frequently appears in noun phrases (a running start) or in clauses that express simultaneous action to another event (The man walking past us waved).

Relation to other non-finite forms is a common point of variation. In some grammars, the term active participle is essentially synonymous with the present participle; in others, it designates a distinct, fully inflected category with dedicated voice and aspect markings. Terminology is not universal, so descriptions often specify the exact language and grammatical tradition being referenced.