Present And Past Participles

Question 1

Present participle

Answer 1

Usually indicates an action which is taking place at the same time as that of the finite verb
Eg den Schildern folgend, fanden sie das Krankenhaus (following the signs, they found the hospital)

Question 2

Past participle

Answer 2

The meaning differs according to the verb

With intransitive (no movement) verbs the past participle has an active sense (i.e. Not passive) and refers to an action which has taken place before that indicates by the finite verb
Eg der neue Lehrer, in Freiburg angekommen, ... (having arrived in Freiburg, the new teacher ... )

With transitive verbs (movement), the past participle has force of passive
Eg der Zug, von zwei Lokomotiven gezogen, … (the train, which was being pulled by two engines, …

Question 3

Adjectival use of participles

Answer 3

Using participle as adjectives is common
Eg die schreienden Vögel

But can also be use as nouns (like other adjectives)
Eg die Streikenden (the people on strike)

Question 4

Extended participial phrase

Answer 4

A participle used adjectivally can be expanded leftwards by adding objects and/or adverbials. In this way - what in English would be a phrase or relative clause after the noun can appear in German as an extended adjectival phrase before the noun

Eg die um ihre eigenen Arbeitsplätze fürchtenden Stahlarbeiter… (the steelworkers who were afraid for their own jobs)