Breakdown of Fluisterend praten ze over het geheim.
over
about
ze
they; she (unstressed form of zij) / them (object)
het geheim
the secret
fluisteren
to whisper
Questions & Answers about Fluisterend praten ze over het geheim.
How do you form fluisterend, and what is its role here?
It is formed by taking the infinitive of the verb fluisteren (to whisper) and simply adding a -d to the end. In this sentence, it acts as an adverb, which means it describes how the action is happening. They are talking "whispering" or "in a whispering manner".
Why doesn't fluisterend get an -e at the end?
Because it is used as an adverb here, modifying the verb praten. You only add an -e to a present participle if you use it as an adjective directly in front of a noun (for example: de fluisterende kinderen, meaning "the whispering children").
Why is the word order praten ze instead of ze praten?
This happens because the sentence starts with Fluisterend. In Dutch main clauses, the verb must always be in the second position (the V2 rule). Since Fluisterend takes up the first spot, the subject (ze) and the verb (praten) must swap places to keep the verb second. This is called inversion.
Does over mean "over" or "about" in this sentence?
Here, it means "about". While over can mean "over" in a physical sense, the Dutch verb praten (to talk) is usually paired with over to mean "to talk about" something. Therefore, praten over het geheim means "to talk about the secret".