The gerund / present participle (AQA GCSE Spanish): Revision Notes
The gerund / present participle
What is the gerund?
The gerund in Spanish serves a similar function to the English "-ing" form when describing ongoing actions. It's also called the present participle and is essential for creating continuous tenses and expressing how actions are performed.
The gerund is one of the most versatile verb forms in Spanish, appearing in multiple grammatical constructions beyond just continuous tenses. Mastering its formation and uses will significantly improve your ability to express ongoing and simultaneous actions.
How to form the gerund
Regular verbs
The formation of gerunds follows a predictable pattern based on the infinitive ending. Understanding these patterns is essential for creating proper continuous tenses.
Formation Pattern Examples:
For -ar verbs: Remove -ar and add -ando
- hablar → hablando (speaking)
- caminar → caminando (walking)
- estudiar → estudiando (studying)
For -er and -ir verbs: Remove -er/-ir and add -iendo
- comer → comiendo (eating)
- vivir → viviendo (living)
- escribir → escribiendo (writing)
Common irregular gerunds
Some verbs have irregular gerund forms that you need to memorise. These irregularities often follow patterns related to stem changes or spelling adjustments.
| Infinitive | Gerund | English |
|---|---|---|
| caer | cayendo | falling |
| leer | leyendo | reading |
| construir | construyendo | building |
| pedir | pidiendo | asking for |
| decir | diciendo | saying/telling |
| servir | sirviendo | serving |
Grammar tip: Many irregular gerunds involve stem changes or spelling adjustments to maintain pronunciation. Notice how verbs ending in vowel + -er/-ir often change the 'i' in -iendo to 'y' (like leer → leyendo) to avoid having three vowels in a row.
Uses of the gerund
The Spanish gerund has several important functions that extend beyond simple continuous action:
Describing how actions are performed
The gerund provides additional information about the manner in which something is done:
Usage Example: Voy andando al instituto. (I go to school on foot/walking.)
This shows HOW the action of going is performed - by walking.
Forming continuous tenses
The gerund combines with forms of estar to create continuous tenses that emphasise ongoing actions:
Continuous Tense Formation: Está jugando al fútbol. (She's playing football.)
Structure: estar (conjugated) + gerund = continuous action
After the verb seguir
In more advanced Spanish, the gerund appears after seguir (to continue) to express "to keep on doing something":
Advanced Usage: Sigo estudiando dibujo porque me gusta. (I keep studying Art because I like it.)
This construction emphasises the continuation of an ongoing activity.
Present continuous tense
This tense describes what is happening right now at this moment. It emphasises the immediate, ongoing nature of an action.
Formation Rule: Present tense of estar + gerund
This is the most commonly used continuous tense in Spanish and directly corresponds to English "I am doing" constructions.
| Person | Estar | + Gerund | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| I | estoy | viajando, saliendo | |
| You | estás | pidiendo, diciendo | |
| He/She/It | está | ||
| We | estamos | ||
| You (plural) | estáis | ||
| They | están |
Complete Example: Estoy viendo la televisión. (I'm watching TV.)
This indicates that the action of watching TV is happening right now and is ongoing.
Imperfect continuous tense
This tense describes what was happening at a certain moment in the past. It sets the scene for past events and describes background actions.
Formation Rule: Imperfect tense of estar + gerund
Use this tense to describe what was in progress when something else happened.
| Person | Estar | + Gerund | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| I | estaba | visitando | |
| You | estabas | estudiando | |
| He/She/It | estaba | escribiendo | |
| We | estábamos | buscando | |
| You (plural) | estabais | ||
| They | estaban |
Context Example: Estaba leyendo. (I was reading.)
This describes an action that was in progress in the past, often interrupted by or occurring simultaneously with another action.
Important translation tip
Understanding when NOT to use the gerund is just as important as knowing when to use it.
Critical Warning: You cannot always translate an English "-ing" verb directly into a Spanish gerund. Sometimes English "-ing" forms function as nouns or adjectives, not as gerunds expressing ongoing action.
Examples of when NOT to use gerund:
- Aprender español es emocionante. (Learning Spanish is exciting.)
- Vamos a salir mañana. (We're leaving tomorrow.)
In these cases, Spanish uses different constructions rather than the gerund.
Useful vocabulary
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| el gerundio | the gerund |
| la acción continua | continuous action |
| en este momento | at this moment |
| ahora mismo | right now |
| mientras tanto | meanwhile |
| poco a poco | little by little |
| paso a paso | step by step |
Example sentences
These examples demonstrate the practical application of continuous tenses in everyday Spanish:
Present continuous:
- Estamos comiendo paella. (We're eating paella.)
- ¿Qué estás haciendo? (What are you doing?)
- Los niños están durmiendo. (The children are sleeping.)
Imperfect continuous:
- Estaba trabajando cuando llamaste. (I was working when you called.)
- Estábamos viviendo en Madrid el año pasado. (We were living in Madrid last year.)
- ¿Estabas estudiando anoche? (Were you studying last night?)
Notice how the imperfect continuous often appears with time expressions or when describing interrupted actions. This tense is key for creating vivid descriptions of past scenes and situations.
Translation practice
Test your understanding with these practice sentences:
Spanish to English:
- Estoy preparando la cena para mi familia.
- Estábamos caminando por el parque cuando empezó a llover.
English to Spanish: 3. She was reading a book in the library. 4. We are learning Spanish at school.
Answers:
- I'm preparing dinner for my family.
- We were walking through the park when it started to rain.
- Estaba leyendo un libro en la biblioteca.
- Estamos aprendiendo español en el colegio.
Key Points to Remember:
- The gerund is formed by adding -ando to -ar verbs and -iendo to -er/-ir verbs
- Some common verbs have irregular gerund forms that must be memorised
- Use estar + gerund to create continuous tenses for ongoing actions
- Present continuous = present estar + gerund (what's happening now)
- Imperfect continuous = imperfect estar + gerund (what was happening then)
- Not every English "-ing" translates directly to a Spanish gerund
- Master these patterns to express ongoing actions naturally in Spanish