The Gerund (Verbs Ending in -ing) (Junior Cert Spanish): Revision Notes
The gerund (verbs ending in -ing)
Overview
The gerund in Spanish, also called the present participle, works similarly to English words ending in "-ing". This verb form helps you describe ongoing actions and create continuous tenses to talk about what someone is doing right now or what they were doing in the past. Understanding the gerund is essential for expressing actions in progress and adding detail to your Spanish conversations.
Mastering the gerund is fundamental to achieving fluency in Spanish, as it allows you to express nuanced timing and ongoing actions that are crucial for natural conversation.
Formation of the gerund
Creating the gerund from Spanish verbs follows a straightforward pattern. You start with the infinitive form of any verb and change the ending according to these rules:
Regular formation:
- -ar verbs: Remove -ar and add -ando
- hablar (to speak) → hablando (speaking)
- -er verbs: Remove -er and add -iendo
- comer (to eat) → comiendo (eating)
- -ir verbs: Remove -ir and add -iendo
- vivir (to live) → viviendo (living)
Common irregular gerunds: Some verbs don't follow the regular pattern and need to be memorised:
| Infinitive | Gerund | English |
|---|---|---|
| caer | cayendo | falling |
| leer | leyendo | reading |
| construir | construyendo | building |
| pedir | pidiendo | asking for |
| decir | diciendo | saying/telling |
| servir | sirviendo | serving |
Pay special attention to irregular gerunds like leer → leyendo and caer → cayendo where the stem changes. These must be memorised as they don't follow the standard pattern and are frequently used in everyday Spanish.
Uses of the gerund
The gerund serves several important functions in Spanish communication:
Providing additional information: You can use the gerund to give more details about how something is being done. For example, "Voy andando al instituto" means "I go to school on foot" - the gerund "andando" (walking) explains how the action of going is performed.
The gerund adds richness to your descriptions by providing the "how" behind actions, making your Spanish more descriptive and natural.
Forming continuous tenses: The gerund combines with different forms of the verb "estar" (to be) to create continuous tenses that describe ongoing actions. This is similar to how English uses "am/is/are" plus "-ing" verbs.
After certain expressions: In more advanced Spanish, you'll encounter the gerund after specific phrases like "seguir" (to keep on), creating constructions like "Sigo estudiando dibujo porque me gusta" (I keep studying art because I like it).
Present continuous tense
This tense describes what is happening right now, at this very moment. You form it using the present tense of "estar" plus the gerund:
| Pronoun | Estar (present) | + Gerund | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| I | estoy | + gerund | viajando, saliendo |
| you | estás | + gerund | pidiendo, diciendo |
| he/she/it | está | + gerund | |
| we | estamos | + gerund | |
| you (plural) | estáis | + gerund | |
| they | están | + gerund |
Worked Example: Present Continuous Formation
Let's form "I am watching TV":
- Start with the verb "ver" (to watch/see)
- Form the gerund: ver → viendo
- Use present tense of estar for "I": estoy
- Combine: "Estoy viendo la televisión"
Result: "I'm watching TV"
Imperfect continuous tense
This tense describes what was happening at a certain moment in the past - an ongoing action that was interrupted or provides background information. You form it using the imperfect tense of "estar" plus the gerund:
| Pronoun | Estar (imperfect) | + Gerund | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| I | estaba | + gerund | visitando, estudiando |
| you | estabas | + gerund | escribiendo, buscando |
| he/she/it | estaba | + gerund | |
| we | estábamos | + gerund | |
| you (plural) | estabais | + gerund | |
| they | estaban | + gerund |
Worked Example: Imperfect Continuous Formation
Let's form "I was reading":
- Start with the verb "leer" (to read)
- Form the irregular gerund: leer → leyendo
- Use imperfect tense of estar for "I": estaba
- Combine: "Estaba leyendo"
Result: "I was reading"
Example sentences
Here are practical examples showing the gerund in context:
Practical Usage Examples
- "Está jugando al fútbol" = "She's playing football" (describing a current action)
- "Estaba leyendo" = "I was reading" (describing a past ongoing action)
- "Voy andando al instituto" = "I go to school on foot" (gerund providing additional information about how)
Each of these sentences uses the gerund to add precision and detail to the basic action being described.
Common mistakes and tips
Learning to use gerunds correctly requires understanding some key differences between Spanish and English usage patterns.
Translation differences: Don't always translate English "-ing" verbs directly into Spanish gerunds. For example, "Learning Spanish is exciting" becomes "Aprender español es emocionante" - not using the gerund. Similarly, "We're leaving tomorrow" is "Vamos a salir mañana" rather than using a continuous tense.
Overusing continuous tenses: Spanish uses simple present tense more often than English uses simple present. Don't feel you must use continuous tenses as frequently as in English.
Irregular gerunds: Pay special attention to verbs like leer → leyendo and caer → cayendo where the stem changes. These need to be practised until they become automatic.
Accent marks: Remember that some gerund forms may need accent marks to maintain correct pronunciation, though this is less common than with other verb forms.
Mini practice
Test your understanding with these practice exercises:
Practice Exercises
Spanish → English:
- Estoy escribiendo un correo electrónico.
- Estaba leyendo un libro.
- Están construyendo una casa.
English → Spanish:
4. I am watching television.
5. We were eating dinner.
6. She is asking for help.
Answers:
- I am writing an email.
- I was reading a book.
- They are building a house.
- Estoy viendo la televisión.
- Estábamos cenando. / Estábamos comiendo la cena.
- Está pidiendo ayuda.
Remember!
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
- Continuous tenses use estar + gerund to describe ongoing actions
- Present continuous (estoy + gerund) = happening now
- Imperfect continuous (estaba + gerund) = was happening in the past
- Don't translate every English "-ing" word as a Spanish gerund - context matters!