riechende

Riechende is a German present participle formed from the verb riechen (to smell). It is used as an attributive adjective meaning "smelling" or "fragrant" and can describe objects that emit a scent. The form agrees with the gender and number of the noun it modifies.

Grammatical use is typical of German adjectives. After definite articles, adjectives take weak endings: die riechende Blume (feminine singular). Plural: die riechenden Blumen. With an indefinite article: eine riechende Blume. When no article is present, strong endings apply: riechende Blumen (nominative plural). The participle can also appear in predicative position in some constructions, but it is most commonly found attributively.

Meaning and nuance: "riechende" conveys that something emits a scent, without specifying whether it is pleasant or unpleasant. For more explicit positive or negative valence, other adjectives are often used, such as duftend (fragrant) for a pleasant smell or stinkend or unangenehm riechend for an unpleasant odor. The choice between riechend, riechende, or related forms depends on the noun’s gender, number, and the desired nuance.

Examples:

- Die riechende Blume im Garten verbreitete einen süßen Duft.

- Die riechenden Blumen im Beet zeigen, wie vielfältig der Frühling riechen kann.

See also: riechen, Duft, Geruch.