imiesowowych

Imiesłowowych is a term used in Polish grammar to refer to forms derived from verbs that behave like both adjectives and adverbs, collectively described as participial forms (imiesłowy). The word itself comes from imiesłów (participle) with the suffix -owy, and the form imiesłowowych is typically seen in phrases like “konstrukcje imiesłowowe” to denote the whole class of such forms.

In Polish, imiesłowy are traditionally divided into several groups. Imiesłowy czynne (present active participles) include forms like czytający or idący, which agree with the noun in gender and number and describe ongoing action connected to the noun. Imiesłowy bierne (past passive participles) such as zrobiony or napisany describe a state resulting from a completed action and also agree with the noun. There are also imiesłowy przysłówkowe (adverbial participles) like czytając or idąc, which do not modify a noun but relate to the action of the main verb, indicating attendant circumstances, time, cause, or manner.

As a category, imiesłowowe forms are used in two main syntactic roles. When used adjectivally, they modify nouns as participial adjectives, e.g., czytający student (the student who is reading) or zrobiony dom (the house that was made). When used adverbially, they express relations of time, reason, or manner in relation to the main clause, often in more formal or literary Polish.

The topic is central to studies of Polish morphology and syntax and is often discussed under the broader heading of participles and imiesłowy in grammar references. See also imiesłów, Polish grammar, and participles.