Swedish Participles

What are participles?

Participles are forms derived from verbs that often function like adjectives. They can be divided into present participles and past participles.

Present participles

Present participles normally end in -ande or -ende and describe someone or something involved in an ongoing action.

Verb	Present participle	Example
sova	sovande	Det låg ett sovande barn i vagnen.There was a sleeping child in the stroller.
sjunga	sjungande	Han var känd som den sjungande brevbäraren.He was known as the singing mailman.
brinna	brinnande	Det brinnande huset släcktes snabbt.The burning house was quickly extinguished.

Past participles

Past participles describe a state resulting from an action.

Verb	Past participle	Example
stänga	stängd	Dörren är stängd.The door is closed.
läsa	läst	Boken är läst.The book has been read.
äta	äten	Tårtan är äten.The cake has been eaten.

Unlike present participles, past participles can change form to agree with the word they describe, just like adjectives:

Den stängda dörrenThe closed door

Den lästa bokenThe read book

Den ätna tårtanThe eaten cake