In Danish, past participles can be used as adjectives to describe the state of a noun, such as a scratched frame or a cracked glass.
Just like regular adjectives, past participles must agree with the noun they modify based on number and whether the noun is definite or indefinite.
Participles Ending in -et
Many past participles end in -et (like ridset, scratched, or revnet, cracked). In the indefinite singular, this exact form is used for both en and et words.
| She is going to sell a scratched jar to the second-hand shop. | Hun skal sælge en ridset krukke til genbrugsbutikken. |
| Do you really want to buy a cracked glass? | Vil du virkelig købe et revnet glas? |
When describing a plural or definite noun—such as after den, det, denne, or a possessive pronoun—the -et ending changes to -ede.
| The father would like to buy this scratched frame in the second-hand shop. | Faren vil gerne købe denne ridsede ramme i genbrugsbutikken. |
| The polished table stands in the living room. | Det polerede bord står i stuen. |
| These signed books cost a lot of money. | Disse signerede bøger koster mange penge. |
Other Participle Endings
Some past participles end in -t (like ødelagt, broken, or gemt, hidden) or -en (like stjålen, stolen).
These follow the standard adjective rules. They use their base form for indefinite singular nouns and typically add an -e in the definite or plural forms.
| The antique is a stolen treasure. | Antikviteten er en stjålen skat. |
| Why does he have a hidden jar under the bed? | Hvorfor har han en gemt krukke under sengen? |
| Who wants to buy this broken antique? | Hvem vil købe denne ødelagte antikvitet? |