Participles

The participle is a verbal form showing continuing or completed action. Its three forms are the present participle, the gerund, and the past participle.

Present Participle

The present participle is formed from the stem of the first person plural (nous) + -ant:

There are three irregulars:

Usage: The present participle can be used as a noun:

le participant
un débutant

It can be used as an adjective, which agrees in number and gender with the noun or pronoun it describes:

Elle est une femme charmante.
(She is a charming woman.)

As a verb:

Se retournant, elle m'a dit...
(Turning around, she told me...)

Gerund

The gerund (the -ing form of the verb in English) is invariable.

It is identical to the present participle but is preceded by the preposition en (by/through/while). It is important to distinguish between their uses. Compare:

Present participle:
Je vous ai vu marchant avec vos amis.
(I saw you walking with your friends.)

Gerund:
Je vous ai vu en accompagnant ma mère à la gare.
(I saw you while I was driving my mother to the station.)

Usage:
To indicate that two actions are going on at the same time:

Nous parlons souvent en marchant.
(We often speak while we walk.)

To emphasize the means by which a result is achieved:

En lisant, on s'instruit.
(It is by reading that one learns.)

See also Participial Phrases.

Past Participle

The past participle is formed by adding the following endings to the stem:

Irregular verbs will have an irregular participle.

Usage:
The past participle is used as a verb in all compound tenses where it serves to emphasize the completion of an action. It may agree with the subject or direct object, in gender and number.

J'ai terminé mes études.
(I have finished my studies.)

It can also be used as an adjective to express a state:

Leurs devoirs terminés, les enfants vont jouer.
(Their homework done, the children go to play.)

See Also:

• Verbs
• Participial Phrases
• Verb Tenses