Present participles and participle phrases
The -ende form (gående, sittende) is more limited in Norwegian than in many other languages. Here you learn where it is used – and where it isn't.
We teach Bokmål, the written standard most people in Norway use.
In short: The present participle (-ende) works as an adjective, an adverb and in fixed patterns like komme gående and bli sittende – but never for «-ing» in the sense of an ongoing action.
Rules
- Form: Infinitive + -ende: lese → lesende, smile → smilende, gå → gående, stå → stående.
- As an adjective: No endings: en voksende økonomi (a growing economy), et voksende problem, voksende utgifter.
- As an adverb: Describes or intensifies: Filmen var overraskende god (surprisingly good). Hun svarte smilende (she answered with a smile).
- Komme + participle: How someone arrives: Hun kom løpende (she came running). Han kom syklende til jobben.
- Bli + participle: Remain in a position or state: Vi ble sittende til midnatt (we ended up sitting there until midnight). Han ble liggende på sykehuset i tre uker.
- Ha + participle: Ha noe liggende/stående = have something available: Jeg har noen penger liggende (I've got some money put aside).
- As a noun: Some participles are used for people: en reisende (a traveller), de pårørende (next of kin), en døende (a dying person).
- Absolute phrases: A noun + participle as a separate unit, mostly in writing: Alt tatt i betraktning er resultatet godt (All things considered …).
- Fixed phrases: Gjeldende regler (current rules), kommende uke (the coming week), påfølgende år (the following year), avgjørende betydning (decisive importance).
- Not ongoing action: Norwegian doesn't use -ende like the English progressive: *Jeg er lesende → Jeg leser / Jeg sitter og leser / Jeg holder på å lese.
- Style: In everyday texts a clause with som, da or mens is almost always more natural than a participle phrase.
Typical mistake: Translating «I am reading» or «Walking home, I met…» with -ende. Say: Da jeg gikk hjem, møtte jeg Per.
Examples
- Hun kom løpende ned trappa.She came running down the stairs.
- Vi ble sittende og prate til midnatt.We ended up sitting and talking until midnight.
- Arbeidsledighet er et voksende problem i regionen.Unemployment is a growing problem in the region.
- Filmen var overraskende god.The film was surprisingly good.
- Alt tatt i betraktning er vi fornøyde med resultatet.All things considered, we are happy with the result.
- De pårørende ble informert samme kveld.The next of kin were informed the same evening.
- Etter gjeldende regler må du søke innen 1. mai.Under the current rules you must apply by 1 May.
- Han ble liggende på sykehuset i tre uker.He ended up staying in hospital for three weeks.