partisiip

Partisiip, known in English as participle, is a non-finite verb form that can function as an adjective or as part of a verb phrase to express aspect, voice, or modification. It does not carry tense on its own and typically relies on auxiliary verbs or context to indicate time. Across languages, partisiip categories commonly include active versus passive and present versus past, though the exact forms and names vary by language.

Present participles generally denote ongoing action or a persistent state and often serve as adjectives or to form continuous aspects (for example, the running water, I am walking). Past participles describe completed action or a passive voice and are frequent in perfect tenses and passive constructions (for example, the broken vase, the bread eaten yesterday). Some languages introduce additional participle kinds, such as future participles or perfective forms, with specific uses.

Participles can introduce participial phrases, which provide extra information about a noun or a clause. Examples include phrases like “Running to the station, she called ahead” where the participle clause adds context without forming a new main clause. Participles may modify nouns directly (the sleeping child) or appear within larger predicate structures, contributing to compound tenses or voice.

Relation to other non-finite forms varies by language. Gerunds or verbal nouns are related forms derived from participles in some traditions, and some languages treat participles and adjectives as a single category, while others maintain distinct morphological or syntactic differences. Partisiip thus sits at the intersection of verb and adjective behavior, enabling compact, nuanced expression across many languages.