hummende

Hummende is the Dutch present participle of the verb hummen, meaning to hum. It is used as an adjective to describe a continuous, low-pitched sound that persists over time. The term is commonly applied to inanimate sound sources such as engines, motors, fans, or other electrical devices. Examples include een hummende motor, een hummende computerventilator, and een hummende koelkast. The word can also describe situations where a background hum is heard in a room or building, though this use is less frequent.

In usage, hummende emphasizes duration and steadiness rather than pitch variation, a nuance that distinguishes it from zoemen (to buzz) or other descriptors. The term appears mainly in descriptive writing, product reviews, or technical reports about equipment and environments. It can be used in present or past contexts: de motor hummt (the motor is humming) versus de motor hummde (the motor hummed).

Morphology and related terms: Hummende is the present participle form of hummen and functions as an attributive adjective. In definite noun phrases you typically say de hummende motor, and in plural de hummende motoren. It follows the standard Dutch adjective inflection rules. Related terms include zoemen (to buzz) and geluid (sound), which describe different qualities of audible phenomena.