Present Participle
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
The Swedish present participle turns verbs into adjectives or adverbs by adding -ande or -ende to the stem.
- Add -ande to most verbs, especially those ending in -a (tala → talande).
- Add -ende to verbs not ending in -a, like short verbs (bo → boende).
- Unlike English, never use it to form continuous tenses like 'I am eating'.
مرور کلی
presens particip is a versatile tool that bridges the gap between verbs and adjectives. While it looks similar to the English '-ing' form, its job description is quite different. In English, you use '-ing' to say 'I am eating' (the continuous present).en skällande hund.en, ett, or plural, the present participle stays exactly the same.En leende pojke (a smiling boy), ett leende barn (a smiling child), and leende människor (smiling people) all use the same form. This makes it a very stable and reliable part of the language once you learn the formation rules.- 1Group 1 & 2 (Verbs ending in -a): Most Swedish verbs fall here. You take the infinitive and add
-nde.
tala(to speak) →talande(speaking)arbeta(to work) →arbetande(working)leka(to play) →lekande(playing)
- 1Group 3 & 4 (Short verbs and verbs not ending in -a): For verbs that end in a vowel other than -a, or for many strong verbs, we use the suffix
-ende.
bo(to live) →boende(living/resident)se(to see) →seende(seeing)gå(to go/walk) →gående(walking)le(to smile) →leende(smiling)
-ande vs -ende distinction. If the verb ends in -a, go with -ande.-ende. If you are dealing with a particle verb (like tycka om), the participle is formed as one word: omtyckt (though this is a past participle example, for present it would be omtyckande, though less common). Usually, the particle stays separate in the present participle: komma springande (come running).En givande kurs (a rewarding course) or en rinnande kran (a running tap).Han kom springande (He came running). It adds a sense of simultaneous action.föregående (previous), nuvarande (current), and kommande (coming/future) are staples of business emails and job interviews.En strålande dag! (A radiant day!).- Wrong:
Jag är ätande.(I am eating.) - Correct:
Jag äter.(I eat / I am eating.)
- Wrong:
De leende-na barnen. - Correct:
De leende barnen.
- Wrong:
Gåande - Correct:
Gående
gå does not end in -a, it must take -ende.-ande/-ende) with the Past Participle (-d/-t/-en).En skrämmande film= A scaring film (The film is scaring you).
En skrämd pojke= A scared boy (The boy has been scared by something).
Meanings
A non-finite verb form used primarily as an adjective to describe a noun performing an action, or as an adverb to describe how an action is performed.
Adjectival Use
Describes a noun by indicating an ongoing action or a characteristic state.
“Ett leende ansikte”
“Den springande pojken”
Adverbial Use
Describes the manner in which the main verb's action is carried out.
“Han kom springande”
“Hon satt gråtande på sängen”
Substantivized Use
The participle acts as a noun, often referring to people performing an action.
“De studerande”
“De sökande”
Fixed Prepositions/Conjunctions
Certain participles have evolved into independent prepositions or conjunctions.
“Angående din fråga”
“Beträffande mötet”
Present Participle Formation by Verb Group
| Verb Group | Infinitive | Stem | Participle Ending | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Group 1 | tala (speak) | tala- | -nde | talande |
| Group 2 | läsa (read) | läsa- | -nde | läsande |
| Group 3 | bo (live) | bo- | -ende | boende |
| Group 4 (Strong) | skriva (write) | skriva- | -nde | skrivande |
| Group 4 (Short) | se (see) | se- | -ende | seende |
| Irregular | gå (go) | gå- | -ende | gående |
| Irregular | le (smile) | le- | -ende | leende |
| Irregular | stå (stand) | stå- | -ende | stående |
Reference Table
| Function | Swedish Example | English Translation |
|---|---|---|
| As Adjective (En) | En skällande hund | A barking dog |
| As Adjective (Ett) | Ett skällande barn | A barking child |
| As Adjective (Plural) | Skällande hundar | Barking dogs |
| As Adverb (Motion) | Han kom springande | He came running |
| As Noun | De studerande | The students |
| Fixed Expression | Gående bord | Buffet (lit. walking table) |
| Prepositional | Angående rapporten | Regarding the report |
| Negative (with 'o-') | Ovetande | Unknowing / Unaware |
طیف رسمیت
Angående morgondagens sammanträde. (Business/Scheduling)
Gällande mötet imorgon. (Business/Scheduling)
Om mötet imorgon. (Business/Scheduling)
Ang. mötet imorrn. (Business/Scheduling)
Functions of the Present Participle
Adjective
- en spännande bok an exciting book
Adverb
- komma springande come running
Noun
- de sökande the applicants
Present vs. Past Participle
Choosing the Ending
Does the verb end in -a?
Does it end in another vowel?
Common Participle Adjectives
Feelings
- • spännande
- • givande
- • sårande
- • lugnande
Business
- • angående
- • nuvarande
- • kommande
- • omfattande
Examples by Level
Filmen är spännande.
The movie is exciting.
En talande fågel.
A talking bird.
Hon har ett leende ansikte.
She has a smiling face.
Det är en givande dag.
It is a rewarding day.
Hunden kom springande mot mig.
The dog came running towards me.
De boende i huset är trevliga.
The residents (living) in the house are nice.
Jag hörde barnen skrattande i trädgården.
I heard the children laughing in the garden.
Det finns inga väntande gäster.
There are no waiting guests.
Han blev stående mitt i gatan.
He remained standing in the middle of the street.
Vi behöver en mer omfattande undersökning.
We need a more comprehensive (embracing) investigation.
Angående din ansökan har vi fattat ett beslut.
Regarding your application, we have made a decision.
Hon svarade med en suckande röst.
She answered with a sighing voice.
De studerande förväntas delta i seminariet.
The students are expected to participate in the seminar.
Det är en ständigt återkommande fråga.
It is a constantly recurring question.
Trots det rådande läget fortsätter vi.
Despite the prevailing situation, we continue.
Han har en enastående förmåga att lyssna.
He has an outstanding (standing alone) ability to listen.
Denna lag är tvingande för alla medborgare.
This law is mandatory (forcing) for all citizens.
Hennes agerande var djupt sårande.
Her actions were deeply hurtful (wounding).
En förutsättningslös och givande dialog.
An unconditional and rewarding dialogue.
Det är en avgörande faktor för framgång.
It is a decisive (deciding) factor for success.
Detta är en genomgripande förändring av systemet.
This is a radical (thorough-gripping) change of the system.
Han uttryckte sig i nedsättande ordalag.
He expressed himself in derogatory (lowering) terms.
Ett vittomspännande nätverk av kontakter.
A wide-ranging (wide-around-spanning) network of contacts.
Det är en hårresande historia.
It is a hair-raising story.
Easily Confused
Learners confuse the -ande ending with the -at ending used for perfect tenses.
English speakers try to use -ande for continuous actions.
Choosing the wrong vowel for the suffix.
اشتباهات رایج
Jag är arbetande.
Jag arbetar.
En spännand bok.
En spännande bok.
Det är en intressant film.
Det är en spännande film.
Jag ser en sjunga fågel.
Jag ser en sjungande fågel.
De leendena barnen.
De leende barnen.
Han kom springande-t.
Han kom springande.
Ett boande barn.
Ett boende barn.
En skrämd film.
En skrämmande film.
Jag såg honom gående.
Jag såg honom gå.
Angånde mötet...
Angående mötet...
En mycket tvingad lag.
En tvingande lag.
Sentence Patterns
En ___ (verb-ande) person kom ___ (verb-ande).
Jag tycker att det är ___ (verb-ande).
___ (Participle) din fråga, kan jag säga att...
Det är en ___ (verb-ande) faktor.
Real World Usage
Jag är en drivande person som gillar utmaningar.
Stigande priser på bensin upprör konsumenter.
Det låter spännande!
Angående din ansökan...
Gå förbi den väntande kön.
Tillsätt sjudande vatten.
The 'Som' Shortcut
No Continuous Tense!
Indeclinable Power
Formal Tone
Smart Tips
Use the participle as an adverb. It makes your Swedish sound much more advanced.
Start your sentences with 'Angående...' or 'Gällande...' to sound professional.
Always use the -ende ending. These verbs never take -ande.
Stop and ask: Is this a description or an action? If it's an action, just use the normal present tense.
تلفظ
The 'e' in -ande
The final 'e' in -ande and -ende is often very short or almost silent in fast speech.
Stress
The stress remains on the verb stem, not on the participle ending.
Compound Stress
En STÅ-ende o-VA-tion
The participle and noun maintain their own stress patterns but flow together.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Remember: 'A' for -a verbs (talA -> talAnde), and 'E' for the rest (bo -> boEnde).
Visual Association
Imagine a 'walking table' (gående bord) for a buffet. The table isn't actually walking, but the people are. This helps you remember that the participle describes the action associated with the noun.
Rhyme
Ends in A? -ande is the way. Ends in E or O? -ende is how you go!
Story
A 'studerande' (student) was 'boende' (living) in Stockholm. One 'strålande' (radiant) day, they saw a 'springande' (running) thief and called the police 'angående' (regarding) the crime.
Word Web
چالش
Look around you and describe three things using a present participle (e.g., a 'lysande' lamp, a 'sittande' person, a 'tickande' clock).
نکات فرهنگی
Official documents (from Skatteverket or Försäkringskassan) heavily use present participles like 'sökande' (applicant) and 'mottagande' (recipient) to remain objective.
Authors like Astrid Lindgren use present participles to create vivid, rhythmic descriptions of nature and movement.
In digital contexts, 'spännande' is often abbreviated to 'spännande' or used as a one-word reaction to news, similar to 'cool' or 'interesting'.
Derived from the Proto-Germanic suffix *-andz, which is cognate with the Latin -ans/-antis and English -ing (via -ende).
Conversation Starters
Vad är det mest spännande du har gjort i år?
Har du sett någon springande person idag?
Vad tycker du om det rådande vädret?
Kan du beskriva en givande hobby du har?
Journal Prompts
Test Yourself
Han är en mycket ___ person.
How do you say 'He came running'?
Find and fix the mistake:
De leendena barnen leker.
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
___ (Giva) jobb.
The present participle is used to form the continuous present tense (e.g., 'I am eating').
Identify the participle.
A: Hur var filmen? B: Den var väldigt ___.
Score: /8
تمرینهای عملی
8 exercisesHan är en mycket ___ person.
How do you say 'He came running'?
Find and fix the mistake:
De leendena barnen leker.
1. Bo, 2. Gå, 3. Tala
___ (Giva) jobb.
The present participle is used to form the continuous present tense (e.g., 'I am eating').
Identify the participle.
A: Hur var filmen? B: Den var väldigt ___.
Score: /8
سوالات متداول (8)
Yes, but only in spelling based on the verb. Verbs ending in `-a` take `-ande`, while others (mostly short verbs) take `-ende`. They function identically.
Yes! For example, `en studerande` (a student) or `de sökande` (the applicants). This is very common in formal Swedish.
Because Swedish doesn't use the 'to be + participle' structure for ongoing actions. You just say `Jag sjunger`.
No, it is completely indeclinable. It stays the same for `en`, `ett`, plural, and definite forms.
`Spännande` means 'exciting' (active), while `spänd` means 'tense' or 'stretched' (passive/result).
Very few. Most follow the `-ande/-ende` rule strictly. Even irregular verbs like `gå` (gående) and `se` (seende) follow the pattern.
In spoken Swedish, it's often more natural to use a relative clause: `mannen som springer` instead of `den springande mannen`.
It's technically a present participle of `angå`, but it functions as a preposition meaning 'regarding'.
In Other Languages
-ing form
Swedish present participle is never used for continuous verb tenses.
Partizip I (-end)
German participles can decline when used as attributive adjectives, while Swedish ones are indeclinable.
Gerundio (-ando/-iendo)
Spanish uses it for 'to be + -ing', Swedish does not.
Participe présent (-ant)
French participles can sometimes function as 'gerunds' with 'en', which Swedish lacks.
~te iru form
Japanese ~te iru is a core verb conjugation; Swedish -ande is an adjectival derivative.
着 (zhe)
Chinese 'zhe' is an aspect marker; Swedish -ande is a morphological suffix.
Ism al-Fa'il (Active Participle)
Arabic participles change for gender and number, unlike the Swedish indeclinable form.
Related Grammar Rules
Past Participle
## Overview: The Verb that Became an Adjective In Swedish, the `perfekt particip` is a fascinating hybrid. While it orig...
Imperative Form
## What is the Imperative? The imperative form, or `imperativ` in Swedish, is the most direct way to communicate an acti...
Imperative in Context
## Overview The imperative mood in Swedish is remarkably straightforward. Unlike many other languages that require compl...
Past Participles
## Overview In Swedish, the 'supinum' is a special verb form used exclusively with the auxiliary verbs `har` (have) or `...
Participle Usage
## Overview In Swedish, participles are powerful tools that allow you to transform verbs into descriptive adjectives. Th...
