The French present participle is formed by replacing the -ons ending of the first person plural present with the ending -ant.

parlons		parlant
finissons		finissant
vendons		vendant

C'est une jolie bague valant plus de mille dollars.
It's a pretty ring worth more than a thousand dollars.

Un secrétaire parlant plusieurs langues vaut son poids en or.
A secretary speaking several languages is worth her weight in gold.

Connaissant le problème, il a hésité.
Knowing the problem, he hesitated.

The present particple is sometimes used as an an adjective...

Ils ont l'eau courante dans leur maison.
They have running water in their house.

Nous allons à une fête dansante samedi prochain.
We're going to a dancing party next Saturday.

When the present participle follows en, it is a gerund, equivalent to English -ing verbal nouns following while, by, or on.

Il faisait une grimace en mangeant ses escargots.
He made a face while eating his snails.

En attendant, elle est très malheureuse.
While waiting, she is very unhappy.

Elle est arrivée en sifflant légèrement.
She arrived whistling lightly.