Present Participle – Gerundio

When you start learning Spanish, one of the trickier concepts to understand is the so-called “present participle.” In English, this concept often shows up as words ending in -ing, like “running” or “speaking.” In Spanish grammar, the term that most closely matches the English “present participle” is called the gerundio. The gerundio plays a significant role in Spanish, especially in constructing continuous (progressive) tenses and certain idiomatic expressions.

This article will guide you through the definition, formation, and usage of the Spanish gerundio, frequently referred to as the Spanish “present participle.” We will also provide many examples—and if you ever feel a sentence or explanation is hard to understand, we’ll follow it up with some simpler clarifications.

In English, the present participle is the form of a verb ending in -ing, such as “walking,” “talking,” or “seeing.” It is used in continuous (progressive) tenses like “I am walking,” or to form adjectives like “the laughing child.”

In Spanish, this equivalent verbal form is the gerundio. It typically ends in:

-ando (for verbs ending in -ar)

-iendo (for verbs ending in -er and -ir)

The gerundio is mainly used to express an ongoing action, much like the English progressive forms. However, there are some key differences between how English and Spanish use these forms, which we will explore in detail.

The Spanish gerundio is formed by taking the stem of the verb and adding the endings -ando or -iendo, depending on the verb’s infinitive ending.

#2.1. Verbs Ending in -AR

• Infinitive: hablar (to speak)

• Remove -ar → habl-

• Add -ando → hablando (speaking)

#2.2. Verbs Ending in -ER

• Infinitive: comer (to eat)

• Remove -er → com-

• Add -iendo → comiendo (eating)

#2.3. Verbs Ending in -IR

• Infinitive: vivir (to live)

• Remove -ir → viv-

• Add -iendo → viviendo (living)

#2.4. Irregular Gerunds (Spelling Changes)

Some Spanish verbs require a spelling change in the gerund form to maintain correct pronunciation or to avoid awkward letter combinations. For instance:

1. -yendo verbs:

• leer (to read) → leyendo (reading)

• oír (to hear) → oyendo (hearing)

• traer (to bring) → trayendo (bringing)

2. Stem-changing -IR verbs:

• dormir (to sleep) → durmiendo (sleeping)

• pedir (to ask for) → pidiendo (asking for)

• sentir (to feel) → sintiendo (feeling)

One of the most common uses of the gerundio is to form the progressive tenses. In English, these are the continuous forms like “I am walking,” “We are eating,” or “They were sleeping.” In Spanish, you form the present progressive by combining estar with the gerundio:

Another use for the gerundio is to describe actions happening at the same time as the main verb. Often, this involves verbs such as seguir (“to continue”), andar (“to walk around doing something”), or ir (“to go on doing something”):

Sometimes, the gerundio in Spanish is used to express the manner in which an action is performed. For example, in the sentence “Aprendí español viendo películas”, the gerundio viendo explains how the learning took place—it describes the method or approach used in the main action (learning Spanish).

This construction acts like an adverbial clause in English. Just as adverbs or adverbial phrases describe how something is done, the gerundio here offers insight into the process or method behind the main verb.

In these cases, it can be translated as “by doing something” or “while doing something” in English:

A crucial point to keep in mind is that English uses the -ing form in many ways—sometimes as a gerund (a verbal noun), sometimes as a present participle (an adjective or part of a progressive tense), and sometimes in other structures. However, in Spanish:

#1. The Spanish gerundio is never used as a noun.

• English might say: “Swimming is fun.”

• Spanish says: Nadar es divertido, never Nadando es divertido.

#2. You rarely see the gerundio used as an adjective.

• English: “The crying baby needed attention.”

• Spanish typically uses another structure, e.g., El bebé que lloraba necesitaba atención (literally, “the baby that was crying needed attention”). It wouldn’t be el bebé llorando as a direct adjective in most cases.

#1. Using the gerundio as a noun:

• Incorrect: “Nadando es divertido.”

• Correct: “Nadar es divertido.”

Remember: -ing as a subject in English translates to the infinitive in Spanish (nadar, comer, vivir, etc.).

#2. Overusing the progressive form:

• English might say: “I’m thinking we should go to the movies.”

• Spanish typically says: Creo que deberíamos ir al cine, not Estoy pensando que deberíamos ir al cine (unless you’re emphasizing that you’re in the process of thinking right now).

#3. Forgetting irregular gerunds:

Make sure to memorize the common irregular gerunds, because they are used very frequently in everyday Spanish.

#4. Confusing progressive with simple present:

In Spanish, the simple present hablo can already mean “I am speaking (right now).” You only need the gerundio for extra emphasis on the ongoing nature of the action.

Let’s look at some sentences, along with clarifications:

1. Estoy comiendo en la cocina.

• “I am eating in the kitchen.”

• We use the gerundio comiendo because the action is happening at this moment.

• If the action wasn’t specifically “happening right now,” we might just say como en la cocina.

2. Ella sigue trabajando en el proyecto.

• “She continues working on the project.”

• Seguir implies continuity, so we pair it with the gerundio trabajando to indicate an ongoing action.

3. Aprendí mucho leyendo libros en español.

• “I learned a lot by reading books in Spanish.”

• The gerundio leyendo describes the method or manner by which the person learned.

4. Van mejorando con cada práctica.

• “They’re gradually improving with each practice.”

• Ir + gerundio means a gradual progression over time.

5. Estábamos durmiendo cuando sonó el teléfono.

• “We were sleeping when the phone rang.”

• This is the past progressive tense (imperfect form of estar + gerundio).

#Formation:

• -ar → -ando (hablar → hablando)

• -er / -ir → -iendo (comer → comiendo, vivir → viviendo)

• Special spelling changes for certain verbs (leer → leyendo, dormir → durmiendo, etc.).

#Main Uses:

1. Progressive tenses with estar + gerundio (estoy comiendo).

2. After certain verbs indicating continuation or manner (seguir trabajando, andar diciendo, ir aprendiendo).

3. Describing manner or simultaneous actions (aprendí viendo películas).

#Key Differences from English:

• Not used as a noun (so “swimming is fun” → nadar es divertido).

• Rarely used as an adjective (use relative clauses instead).

#Avoid overusing progressive forms in Spanish.

If you remember nothing else from this guide, keep in mind that Spanish uses the gerundio primarily for actions in progress (in combination with estar or other verbs that express continuity) and for indicating “how” something is done (by doing something). Don’t try to force Spanish gerundios into all the same roles that English -ing words fill.

Mastering the Spanish present participle — or, more accurately, the gerundio — can open the door to more natural and fluent Spanish. It allows you to express ongoing actions, describe how something is done, and convey progress or continuation. The essential points to keep in mind include: 1. Proper Formation: Understand how to get from an infinitive (like hablar) to the gerund (like hablando). 2. Context of Use: Use estar + gerundio to form continuous tenses, and remember that Spanish doesn’t use the gerundio as broadly as English uses the -ing form. 3. Irregularities: Pay attention to spelling changes (like leyendo, durmiendo, pidiendo, etc.). 4. Differences from English: Don’t confuse the Spanish gerundio with the English gerund (a verbal noun). In Spanish, the infinitive often substitutes for the English -ing when used as a noun.

As long as you keep these points in mind and practice regularly with authentic Spanish materials—listening to native speakers, reading articles, and speaking or writing on your own—you’ll develop a solid grasp of how to use the gerundio naturally and correctly. Over time, it will become second nature, and you’ll find yourself forming sentences like Estoy aprendiendo español with complete confidence. ¡Sigue practicando! (Keep practicing!)