Deutsch — Present participle as adjective
The German present participle (Partizip I) is built from the infinitive plus -d. Before a noun it works like an adjective and takes normal adjective endings; with zu it forms a construction with passive meaning.
How it works
Add -d to the infinitive to get the participle, then decline it like any attributive adjective: das lachende Kind, die kochende Milch, die steigenden Preise. It describes an action going on at the same time (active, ongoing). With zu placed in front, the participle expresses something that must or can be done — a passive meaning: die zu lösende Aufgabe means "the task that has to be solved".
Examples
| Infinitive | Partizip I (attributive) | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| lachen | das lachende Kind | the laughing child |
| kochen | die kochende Milch | the boiling milk |
| schlafen | der schlafende Hund | the sleeping dog |
| steigen | die steigenden Preise | the rising prices |
| lösen (+ zu) | die zu lösende Aufgabe | the task to be solved |
| bezahlen (+ zu) | die zu bezahlende Rechnung | the bill to be paid |
Good to know
Don't confuse Partizip I with Partizip II. Partizip I is active and simultaneous (das kochende Wasser = water that is boiling), whereas Partizip II is usually passive and completed (das gekochte Ei = the cooked egg). The participle only takes endings before a noun; used predicatively (Das Kind ist lachend) it sounds wrong, and German prefers a full clause. The zu-form always carries a passive "must/can be done" meaning.