singende

Singende is the present participle of the German verb singen and is commonly used as an adjective meaning “singing.” It can describe people, groups, or things characterized by singing, for example singende Kinder (children who sing) or singende Stimmen (singing voices). In standard German it functions as an attributive adjective and may appear with definite articles: der singende Mann, die singende Frau, das singende Kind.

Singende can also be nominalized in limited contexts, though this usage is less common. In poetic or artistic contexts, das Singende may refer to the act of singing or be used as a title or collective noun for a choir or singing group. By contrast, the noun Singen more precisely denotes the act of singing.

Usage notes: Unlike the participle singend, which is often used in adverbial participial phrases (er singt, er singend durch den Raum gehen), singende is used as an ordinary attributive adjective and declines like other adjectives. Examples of inflected forms include: der singende Mann, des singenden Mannes, dem singenden Mann, den singenden Mann; die singende Frau, der singenden Frau, die singende Frau; die singenden Sänger, der singenden Sänger, den singenden Sängern. In plural contexts one can also say die singenden Stimmen or die singenden Sängerinnen.

See also: Singen, the act of singing; German present participles and adjective endings.