Progressive adjective in German

In German, the use of Progressive adjective in German is not a common grammatical feature like it is in English. German adjectives do not typically change their form to indicate a progressive aspect or ongoing action. Instead, German tends to express progressive actions or ongoing states through different means, such as using specific verbs, adverbs, or context.

In English, progressive adjectives are used to describe ongoing actions or states, such as “I am reading a book” or “She is studying German.” These sentences convey that the actions of reading and studying are happening in the present and are ongoing. However, in German, the same idea would be expressed using different sentence structures or verb forms:

  • “Ich lese gerade ein Buch” (I am currently reading a book).
  • “Sie lernt Deutsch” (She is learning German).

Progressive adjective in German

English German
I am getting taller. Ich werde größer.
She is becoming wiser. Sie wird klüger.
The situation is getting worse. Die Situation wird schlimmer.
They are getting stronger. Sie werden stärker.
The project is becoming more complex. Das Projekt wird komplexer.
He is getting more confident. Er wird selbstbewusster.
The weather is getting colder. Das Wetter wird kälter.
The prices are increasing. Die Preise steigen.
My German is improving. Mein Deutsch verbessert sich.
The traffic is getting heavier. Der Verkehr wird dichter.
She is getting more impatient. Sie wird ungeduldiger.
The colors are becoming brighter. Die Farben werden heller.
The noise is getting louder. Der Lärm wird lauter.
The situation is becoming more complicated. Die Situation wird komplizierter.
The water is getting warmer. Das Wasser wird wärmer.
The crowd is growing larger. Die Menschenmenge wird größer.
The workload is increasing. Die Arbeitsbelastung nimmt zu.
He is getting more distant. Er wird distanzierter.
The traffic is getting busier. Der Verkehr wird belebter.
The tension is building up. Die Spannung baut sich auf.