Participe présent comme adjectif et nom
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The French present participle may be used as an adjective, noun, verb, or gerund.
Present participle = adjective
When used as an adjective, the present participle follows the same gender and number agreement rules as other adjectives, and typically follows the noun.
Par exemple…
| un cadeau surprenant | a surprising gift | |
| un travail ennuyant | boring job | |
| une idée fascinante | fascinating idea | |
| des paquets pesants | weighty packages | |
| des mariées rougissantes | blushing brides |
Present participle = noun
Likewise, when used as a noun, the present participle follows the same gender and number agreement rules as other nouns.
Par exemple…
| un contenant | des contenants | container(s) | |
| un identifiant | des identifiants | user name(s) | |
| un étudiant des étudiants |
une étudiante des étudiantes |
student students |
|
| un sympathisant des sympathisants |
une sympathisante des sympathisantes |
sympathizer sympathizers |
Present Participle Pairs
Many verbs whose present participles are commonly used as nouns and/or adjectives have two different spellings: the one conjugated the normal way serves as the verb or gerund, while a second form is required when it’s used as a noun or adjective.
1) When present participles end in –guant, the noun/adjective form loses the u.
Par exemple…
| verb | present participle | adjective/noun |
| déléguer | déléguant | délégant |
| extravaguer | extravaguant | extravagant |
| fatiguer | fatiguant | fatigant |
| intriguer | intriguant | intrigant |
| naviguer | naviguant | navigant |
2) For present participles that end in –quant, the noun/adjective form usually ends in –cant.
Par exemple…
| verb | present participle | adjective/noun |
| communiquer | communiquant | communicant |
| convaincre | convainquant | convaincant |
| fabriquer | fabriquant | fabricant |
| provoquer | provoquant | provocant |
| suffoquer | suffoquant | suffocant |
3) A number of present participles commonly used as nouns or adjectives end in –ent instead of –ant:
Par exemple…
| verb | present participle | adjective/noun |
| adhérer | adhérant | adhérent |
| converger | convergeant | convergent |
| exceller | excellant | excellent |
| négliger | négligeant | négligent |
| urger | urgeant | urgent |
| violer | violant | violent |
4) The verb savoir is just the opposite: it has an irregular present participle when it’s used as a verb or gerund, but follows the normal conjugation rules when it’s used as a noun or adjective.
| verb | present participle | adjective/noun |
| savoir | sachant | savant |
Related lessons
- Present participle conjugations
- Present participle as verb or gerund
- Adjectives
- Nouns
- Past participle
En español
In italiano
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