Nouns and Adjectives Derived from Participles

A few nouns and many adjectives were formerly participles. They may function as both. In some instances there is a difference in spelling.

Nouns

The words – заведующий; управляющий; раненный – and some others may be used as participles:

человек, заведующий библиотекой	the man in charge of the library
женщина, управляющая машиной	the woman who is driving the car
бойцы, раненные во вчерашнем бою	the soldiers wounded in the yesterday's battle

The same words may be used as nouns (substantivized participles):

заведующий	the manager
управляющий	manager
раненый	the wounded (man)

Adjectives

Adjectives derived from participles constitute a larger class.

   (a)   The distinction between adjectives and participles centers around the following points:

An adjective has a less "active" character than a participle. The notion of time is not clearly present in an adjective.

Adjective:	Знающий человек.	An educated man, a man having knowledge.
Participle:	Человек, знающий дорогу.	The man who knows the way.

Adjectives originating from passive participles make no reference to the agent performing the action:

Уважаемый...	Dear... (lit. "Respected")
разрушенный дом	a destroyed house
раненые бойцы	wounded soldiers

Passive participles indicate the agent (in the instrumental case) or have qualifying words:

человек, уважаемый всеми	a man respected by everybody
дом, разрушенный неприятелем	a house destroyed by the enemy
бойцы, раненные при отступлении	soldiers wounded during the retreat

Frequently, an adjective derived from a participle has a figurative meaning:

блестящие результаты	brilliant (outstanding) results
цветущее предприятие	a flourishing enterprise
потерянное время	lost (wasted) time

Note:   Adjectives and participles may occasionally have different endings (and different meanings):

висящий на стене	hanging on the wall (participle)
висячий мост	suspension bridge (adjective)
плачущая девочка	a crying girl  (participle)
плакучая ива	a weeping willow (adjective)

(The ending -щий is Church Slavonic; -чий is Russian.)

   (b)   Reflexive participles may also become adjectives:

небьющаяся посуда	unbreakable dishes
вращающийся вал	a rotating shaft

   (c)   Many adjectives with the suffix -л historically belong to past active participles:

взрослый	grown up
прошлый	last former
усталый	tired

   (d)   A large number of negated adjectives have the suffix of present passive participles -мый. These adjectives are formed from imperfective or perfective verbs, transitive or intransitive.

незабываемое впечатление	unforgettable impression
несгораемый шкаф	safe (lit.: non-combustible closet)
непромокаемое пальто	waterproof coat
необходимые меры	necessary (unavoidable) measures
непроходимые дороги	impassable roads
невозмутимое спокойствие	imperturbable calmness (placidity)
невыполнимый план	impracticable plan
Непобедимая армада	invincible Armada
неуловимый звук	elusive (barely perceptible) sound
неутомимый работник	indefatigable worker

The Spelling of Past Passive Participles and Related Adjectives

1.   Participles are spelled with two н's:

письмо, полученное вчера	the letter which was received yesterday
деньги, посланные по почте	the money sent by mail

2.   Adjectives are spelled with two н's when they have a prefix, or when they have one of the suffixes -ирова or -ова:

запутанное дело	a confused (entangled) business
аннексированная территория	annexed territory
маринованная рыба	marinated fish

Otherwise, adjectives formed from participles are spelled with one н:

путаный ответ	a confused answer
раненый офицер	a wounded officer
копчёная ветчина	smoked ham

Exceptions:   The non-prefixed adjectives данный and желанный are spelled with two н's:

в данный момент	at the present moment
желанный гость	a welcome guest

3.   The spelling rule regarding the short form of past passive participles and corresponding adjectives is different: In the feminine, neuter and plural, the participle takes one н, the adjective takes two н's:

PARTICIPLE:	Здесь образована комиссия.	A commission has been formed here.
	Они были воспитаны тётей.	They were brought up by their aunt.
ADJECTIVES:	Она очень образованна.	She is very well educated.
	Они хорошо воспитанны.	They are well brought up.