Long Descriptions Before the Noun
A participle before a noun can bring its own words with it: déi vum Staat finanzéiert Projeten (the projects financed by the state). The extra words come between the article and the participle.
How It Works
1. From short to long
You already know participles as adjectives: eng zougemaach Dier. In formal writing, the participle can take extra words, which go in front of it:
- déi finanzéiert Projeten (the financed projects)
- déi vum Staat finanzéiert Projeten (the projects financed by the state)
2. Endings
The participle takes the normal endings. Masculine gets -en, which becomes -e by the n-rule: de vun der Regierung ugekënnegte Plang. Feminine and plural take no ending in the nominative and accusative: déi vun der Police gesicht Fälscherin. A neuter participle ending in t adds nothing: dat vun der Gemeng organiséiert Fest. See adjective endings masculine and adjective endings feminine and plural.
3. Reading tip
When an article is followed by vun, mat or another preposition, the noun may still be coming. Keep reading until you reach the participle and the noun.
4. In speech
People rarely talk this way. They say the noun first and add a relative clause:
- d'Projeten, déi vum Staat finanzéiert ginn
Examples (5)
- Déi vum Staat finanzéiert Projete ginn all Joer kontrolléiert.
The projects financed by the state are checked every year.
Projeten loses its n before g.
- Déi vun der Police gesicht Fälscherin gouf zu Paräis verhaft.
The counterfeiter wanted by the police was arrested in Paris.
Feminine: the participle gesicht takes no ending.
- De vun der Regierung ugekënnegte Plang gouf nach net gestëmmt.
The plan announced by the government has not been voted on yet.
Masculine: ugekënnegten becomes ugekënnegte before P.
- Dat vun der Gemeng organiséiert Fest war e grousse Succès.
The festival organized by the municipality was a big success.
- D'Projeten, déi vum Staat finanzéiert ginn, ginn all Joer kontrolléiert.
The projects that are financed by the state are checked every year.
The same meaning with a relative clause, as people say it.
Common Mistakes
Putting the added words after the participle.
Déi finanzéiert vum Staat Projete ginn all Joer kontrolléiert.Déi vum Staat finanzéiert Projete ginn all Joer kontrolléiert.In a phrase before the noun, everything that belongs to the participle comes before it. The participle stands right in front of the noun.
Forgetting the masculine ending on the participle.
De vun der Regierung ugekënnegt Plang gouf nach net gestëmmt.De vun der Regierung ugekënnegte Plang gouf nach net gestëmmt.Before a masculine noun the participle needs -en, written -e here by the n-rule, just like any adjective.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Before Long Descriptions Before the Noun, learn Participles Used as Adjectives.
Related Patterns
- Relative deen / déi / datRelative Clauses with Deen, Déi and Dat
The relative clause that people use instead in speech.
Level 3 - Adjective Endings: Masculine -en
The participle takes the same -en ending as an adjective.
Level 2 - Adjective Endings: Feminine and Plural
Feminine and plural participles take no ending in the nominative.
Level 2 - Passive: ginn + ParticipleThe Passive: Ginn + Participle
The relative-clause version often uses the passive: déi finanzéiert ginn.
Level 3 - Formal Noun-Heavy Style
Both belong to the compact style of official texts.
Level 6
Practice Long Descriptions Before the Noun in Bubblegum
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