german_sentence_builder

Extended modifiers
Just as attributive adjectives can replace a relative clause that contains a predicate adjective, so,
too, can participles replace relative clauses. Look at the following example with adjectives:
das Haus, das klein ist
das kleine Haus
the house that is small
the small house
Compare that with the following examples, where participles replace the verbs in the relative
clauses and the phrase that was previously expressed by the relative clause now precedes the noun
that is modified:
das Haus, das an der Ecke steht
the house that stands on the corner
das an der Ecke stehende Haus the house that stands on the corner
das Haus, das gestern zerstört wurde the house that was destroyed yesterday
das gestern zerstörte Haus the house that was destroyed yesterday
In both examples above the relative clause has been changed to an extended modifier, with the
present or past participle acting as the modifier with the appropriate adjective ending. English
does not use extended modifiers to the same degree as German, and German phrases that contain
extended modifiers tend to be translated as relative clauses in English, as illustrated in the
above examples.
der/die/das 1 participle 1 adjective ending
der 1 sitzend 1 -e
der vor der Tür sitzende Hund
the dog sitting in front of the door
Extended modifiers, especially those that are particularly long, tend to be used in formal
writing or might be heard in a scholarly speech. When used in casual conversation, they sound
cumbersome and lofty and are generally avoided.
If an active verb in a relative clause is changed into an extended modifier, a present participle
is used: der Mann, der singt 5 der singende Mann (the singing man). If the verb is passive, a past
participle is used: das Lied, das gesungen wurde 5 das gesungene Lied (the song that was sung).
If the verb is a verb of motion or another verb that requires sein as its auxiliary, the tense of the
participle is determined by the tense of the verb. For example:
der Zug, der gerade ankommt
der gerade ankommende Zug
der Zug, der schon angekommen ist
der schon angekommene Zug
the train that is just now arriving
the train that is just now arriving
the train that has already arrived
the train that has already arrived
If the verb is reflexive, the reflexive pronoun sich must be used with the participle:
der Mann, der sich schämt 5 der sich schämende Mann
Let’s look at a sentence with an extended modifier formed from the past participle bekannt.
Notice how it can grow with the addition of modifiers and prepositional phrases:
Er ist Politiker.
Er ist ein bekannter Politiker.
Er ist ein sehr bekannter Politiker.
Er ist ein in Europa sehr bekannter
Politiker.
He’s a politician.
He’s a well-known politician.
He’s a very well-known politician.
He’s a very well-known politician in Europe.
62 Practice Makes Perfect German Sentence Builder