LEKTION 22
The Participle
The way to form the participle in German presents certain difficulties for those learning the language. In this lesson, we are going to look at the main rules used to form them. In any case, if you are in doubt, German dictionaries usually indicate the participle next to the infinitive.
The basic rule is you take the root of the verb (infinitive - ending in "en"), and add the prefix "ge-" and the ending "-t" (if the root of the verb ends in "d" or "t", you add "-et"):
| Infinitive |
Participle |
| Lernen (to learn) |
Gelernt |
| Arbeiten (to work) |
Gearbeitet |
| Sagen (to say) |
Gesagt |
| Leben (to live) |
Gelebt |
However, many participles are formed simply by adding the prefix "ge-" to the infinitive:
| Infinitive |
Participle |
| Kommen (to come) |
Gekommen |
| Geben (to give) |
Gegeben |
| Laufen (to run) |
Gelaufen |
| Fahren (to go in a vehicle) |
Gefahren |
Some participles incorporate the ending "-t" (or"-et"), but they do not add the prefix "ge-":
| Infinitive |
Participle |
| Verkaufen (to sell) |
Verkauft |
| Studieren (to study) |
Studiert |
| Besuchen (to visit) |
Besucht |
Finally, a lot of other verbs when forming the participle change their root:
| Infinitive |
Participle |
| Beginnen (to begin) |
Begonnen |
| Bleiben (to remain) |
Geblieben |
| Bringen (to bring) |
Gebracht |
| Denken (to think) |
Gedacht |
| Fliegen (to fly) |
Geflogen |
| Kennen (to meet) |
Gekannt |
| Nehmen (to catch) |
Genommen |
| Trinken (to drink) |
Getrunken |
As there are so many exceptions when it comes to forming the participle, the best thing to do is consult the dictionary when you have a doubt. You can use a dictionary until are certain of the participle of every verb.
VOCABULARY
| Iron |
Eisen (n) |
Hydrogen |
Wasserstoff (m) |
| Gold |
Gold (n) |
Carbon |
Kohlenstoff (m) |
| Silver |
Silber (n) |
Nitrogen |
Stickstoff (m) |
| Copper |
Kupfer (n) |
Uranium |
Uran (n) |
| Tin |
Zinn (n) |
Calcium |
Kalcium (n) |
| Lead |
Blei (n) |
Sodium |
Natrium (n) |
| Platinum |
Platin (n) |
Potassium |
Kalium (n) |
| Aluminium |
Aluminium (n) |
Phosphorus |
Phosphor (m) |
| Mercury |
Quecksilber (n) |
Fluoride |
Fluor (n) |
| Sulphur |
Schwefel (m) |
Magnesium |
Magnesium (n) |
| Oxygen |
Sauerstoff (m) |
