In formal written Italian, such as in university regulations or official administrative notices, you will often see the present participle used to replace a relative clause (a clause starting with che).
To form the present participle, drop the infinitive ending and add -ante for -are verbs, or -ente for -ere and -ire verbs.
When used this way, the participle functions like an adjective describing a noun, but it can still take a direct object like a verb. Because it acts as an adjective ending in -e, it must agree in number with the noun it modifies, ending in -e for singular nouns and -i for plural nouns.
Instead of saying il bando che riguarda l'ammissione (the call for applications that concerns the admission), official documents will use the present participle riguardante (concerning).
| Read the call for applications concerning the admission. | Legga il bando riguardante l'ammissione. |
| Send the form containing the student ID number. | Invii il modulo contenente la matricola. |
Plurals in Formal Rules
When the noun being described is plural, remember to change the participle's ending to -i. This structure is incredibly common when defining rules for specific groups of students or applicants, such as those seeking an exemption (l'esonero) or paying tuition (la retta).
| The students requesting the exemption do not pay the tuition fee. | Gli studenti richiedenti l'esonero non pagano la retta. |
| The candidates coming from abroad ask for admission. | I candidati provenienti dall'estero chiedono l'ammissione. |
Using these present participles will make your writing—and your comprehension of official Italian documents—much more sophisticated and precise.
| The accommodation belonging to the department is excellent. | L'alloggio appartenente al dipartimento è ottimo. |