B2 · Upper-intermediate · Lesson 23
Participles
Compress a whole clause into a single word.
Adjectival participles describe a noun ('the reading man', 'the closed door'). Adverbial participles describe an action ('while reading', 'having finished'). They are everywhere in written and formal Polish.
| Type | Ending | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Active adjectival | -ący | czytający — reading |
| Passive adjectival | -ny / -ty | zrobiony / zamknięty |
| Adverbial 'while' | -ąc | czytając — while reading |
| Adverbial 'having' | -wszy | zrobiwszy — having done |
- •Adjectival participles agree like adjectives.
- •Adverbial participles never change form.
Quick check
____ do domu, spotkałem kolegę.
The 'while' adverbial participle is wracając.
'The closed door' (zamknąć):
The passive participle is zamknięte/zamknięty.
Make the 'while' participle of pisać:
piszą → pisząc.
Practice
Now produce the answers yourself — type them, choose the form, or build the sentence.
___ do domu, kupiłem chleb. ('while')
'the closed door': drzwi są ___
'while' participle of 'pisać':
Say: The doors are closed.
An adverbial participle must share its ___ with the main verb.