Participial attributes (Partizipialattribute): Partizip I, Partizip II and zu + Partizip I

Rule

A participial attribute is a participle used like an adjective in front of a noun, between the determiner and the noun, with a normal adjective ending. It compresses a relative clause into one word: das lachende Kind = das Kind, das lacht.

Three forms, four readings:

• Partizip I (infinitive + -d): active, happening at the same time as the main verb — das lachende Kind.
• Partizip II of a transitive verb: passive and completed — das reparierte Auto.
• Partizip II of an intransitive verb of arrival or change of state that builds the Perfekt with sein (ankommen, einschlafen, eintreffen, vergehen, wachsen): active and completed — der angekommene Zug. Intransitive verbs with haben — schlafen, arbeiten, lachen, warten — have no such attribute: das schlafende Kind, never das geschlafene Kind.
• zu + Partizip I (the Gerundivum): passive plus necessity or possibility. Die zu erledigenden Aufgaben = die Aufgaben, die erledigt werden müssen (or können). Only transitive verbs work here; in a separable verb zu moves inside (die abzugebenden Formulare), a negation stands in front (die nicht zu lösenden Probleme).

The participle declines like an adjective: weak endings after der/die/das, mixed after ein-words, strong with no determiner. In front of a noun it always carries an ending; without an ending it is not an attribute but a free participle in the sentence (Laut lachend kam er herein).

The participle may keep its own complements and adverbials; they all stand between the determiner and the participle — the extended attribute: determiner → complements and adverbials → participle + ending → noun. To read one, take the determiner plus the noun after the participle, add a relative pronoun and rebuild the verb from the participle type: die von meinem Vater vor zwei Jahren gekauften Bücher → die Bücher, die mein Vater vor zwei Jahren gekauft hat.

A one-word attribute is everyday German; the extended one is a hallmark of written, formal prose — academic, technical, legal, journalistic — where English puts the same material after the noun (the books bought by my father). In speech, or with a long bracket, use a relative clause.

Examples

• Das lachende Kind rannte über den Hof. — The laughing child ran across the yard.
• Das reparierte Auto steht wieder vor der Tür. — The repaired car is outside the door again.
• Der gerade angekommene Zug ist aus Wien. — The train that just arrived is from Vienna.
• Die zu erledigenden Aufgaben stehen auf der Liste. — The tasks that have to be done are on the list.
• Die bis Freitag abzugebenden Formulare liegen im Sekretariat. — The forms to be handed in by Friday are in the office.
• Die von meinem Vater vor zwei Jahren gekauften Bücher stehen noch im Regal. — The books my father bought two years ago are still on the shelf.
• Die im Labor arbeitenden Studentinnen tragen Schutzbrillen. — The students working in the lab wear safety goggles.
• Ein von allen Teilnehmern unterschriebenes Protokoll geht an die Behörde. — Minutes signed by all participants go to the authorities.

Quick table

Common mistakes

• ❌ das lachend Kind → ✅ das lachende Kind — in front of a noun the participle is an adjective and needs an ending.
• ❌ das reparierende Auto → ✅ das reparierte Auto — Partizip I is active — that would be a car repairing something; the car is repaired, so Partizip II.
• ❌ das geschlafene Kind → ✅ das schlafende Kind — schlafen is intransitive with haben, so it has no Partizip-II attribute.
• ❌ die erledigenden Aufgaben → ✅ die zu erledigenden Aufgaben — only zu + Partizip I gives the passive sense "have to be done"; without zu the tasks would be doing the work.
• ❌ die gekauften von meinem Vater Bücher → ✅ die von meinem Vater gekauften Bücher — everything belonging to the participle stands between the determiner and the participle.

Related

The endings come from the adjective declension; every attribute unpacks into a relative clause. The Partizip-II attribute is compressed passive — compare the state passive (Das Auto ist repariert) and the nominal style.