# learning a language



## Engeland

Hey guys, I was wondering, how do you use the present participle in Dutch?

E.G. Something like: Learning a language is difficult. Although reading is fun, writing is better.

This would be a huge help 

Dankje!
-Sam


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## Astilbe

In the example you give, the Dutch would use the infinitive: Een taal leren is moeilijk. Hoewel lezen ook leuk is, schrijven is beter.


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## Engeland

Astilbe said:


> In the example you give, the Dutch would use the infinitive: Een taal leren is moeilijk. Hoewel lezen ook leuk is, schrijven is beter.




Dankjewel c: Is there any exceptions or is it always formed like this?

(Het boek lezen was leuk, maar rennen is beter)?


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## Astilbe

There is a present participle, called onvoltooid deelwoord, or tegenwoordig deelwoord. See here how to use it http://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Onvoltooid_deelwoord


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## ThomasK

Mind you, Engeland: _writing _is a gerund strictly speaking, not a present participle/ onvoltooid deelwoord, at least not in meaning. We hardly use the present participle (ending in -_end_), it is way more common in English. But gerund in English is infinitive in Dutch, as far as I can see now...


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## Engeland

ThomasK said:


> Mind you, Engeland: _writing _is a gerund strictly speaking, not a present participle/ onvoltooid deelwoord, at least not in meaning. We hardly use the present participle (ending in -_end_), it is way more common in English. But gerund in English is infinitive in Dutch, as far as I can see now...



Thanks for that, I realised once I posted I got the two mixed up (as I tend to do) but didn't know how to fix the title


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## matakoweg

in the wikipedia page I missed the following:
there are some fixed expressions in Dutch with present participles:
hij is stervende 
zijn macht was tanende 
hij hield de zaak draaiende 

there are only a few verbs that can be used in this construction with "zijn" and with "houden" only "draaien" is possible to my opinion.


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## Peterdg

ThomasK said:


> We hardly use the present participle (ending in -_end_), it is way more common in English.


But we do often use it as an adjective, don't we? _De werkende mens, de geldende regels, de slapende gelden, de zingende vogels, de blaffende hond, spelende kinderen, _...


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