betende

Betende is a linguistic form that occurs in German. It is the present participle of the verb beten, meaning to pray, and is used both as an adjective and, when capitalized and nominalized, as a noun.

As an adjective, betende describes someone or something engaged in prayer. For example, die betende Frau (the praying woman) or eine betende Gemeinde (a praying congregation). In this use, it preserves a neutral, descriptive meaning and can appear in religious, literary, or descriptive contexts.

As a noun, betende can be nominalized to refer to a person who prays, typically written with capitalization as Betende, with the plural Betende or Die Betenden. This usage is common in religious discourse or historical texts and can convey a concise label for a group or individual characterized by prayer.

Usage notes and scope: betende is most common in formal, literary, or scriptural German rather than everyday colloquial speech. It often appears in contexts discussing prayer practices, devotional life, or descriptions of religious scenes in art and literature. The term carries a neutral to reverent tone, rather than a judgmental one.

Related terms include the verb beten, its related nouns Gebet (prayer) and Gebete (prayers), and the broader vocabulary surrounding religious practice in German.

See also: beten, Gebet, Gebete, die Betenden.