Gerund and Participle
Spanish Grammar 4
Course 4 · Chapter 9 · Gerund, Infinitive and Participle Constructions
🧩 Non-Finite Forms — Gerundio, infinitivo y participio
Spanish packs a lot of meaning into three verb forms that do not change for person: the gerund (hablando), the infinitive (hablar) and the past participle (hablado). Used with prepositions and auxiliary verbs, they replace whole clauses: Al llegar, llamé ("When I arrived, I called"), Terminado el trabajo, nos fuimos ("Once the work was done, we left"). This chapter covers the constructions that make written Spanish tighter and spoken Spanish more fluent.
Forming the gerund
| Verb type | Rule | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| -ar | stem + -ando | hablar → hablando · trabajar → trabajando |
| -er, -ir | stem + -iendo | comer → comiendo · vivir → viviendo |
| vowel + -er / -ir | -yendo | leer → leyendo · construir → construyendo · oír → oyendo · ir → yendo |
| -ir stem-changers | e → i, o → u | pedir → pidiendo · decir → diciendo · dormir → durmiendo · poder → pudiendo · venir → viniendo |
Object and reflexive pronouns attach to the end of the gerund (and take an accent to keep the stress): hablándole, comiéndolo, levantándose. With an auxiliary they may go before it instead: Lo estoy comiendo. = Estoy comiéndolo.
Uses of the gerund
| Use | Example |
|---|---|
| progressive (estar + gerund) | Estoy estudiando ahora. I'm studying now. |
| manner / means ("by -ing") | Aprendí español viendo películas. I learned Spanish by watching films. |
| two simultaneous actions | Salió de casa corriendo. He ran out of the house. Come leyendo el periódico. He eats while reading the paper. |
| cause ("since, because") | Siendo tan tarde, nos fuimos. Since it was so late, we left. |
| condition ("if") | Trabajando más, aprobarás. By working more, you'll pass. |
| with verbs of perception | Vi a Ana cruzando la calle. I saw Ana crossing the street. |
Al + infinitive and después de + infinitive
| Construction | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| al + infinitive | "on -ing", "when" (at the same moment) | Al llegar a casa, llamé a mi madre. On arriving home, I called my mother. |
| Al salir, apaga la luz. When you leave, turn off the light. | ||
| después de + infinitive | "after -ing" | Después de comer, dimos un paseo. After eating, we took a walk. |
| antes de + infinitive | "before -ing" | Antes de salir, cierra la ventana. Before leaving, close the window. |
| sin + infinitive | "without -ing" | Se fue sin decir adiós. He left without saying goodbye. |
| para + infinitive | "in order to" | Estudio para aprobar. I study to pass. |
These constructions require that the subject is the same in both parts (Spanish Grammar 4 3). If the subjects differ, use a full clause: Después de que comimos, salimos. (the earlier action is a fact: indicative) against Después de comer, salimos. (same subject). Al + infinitive can have its own subject after the verb: Al llegar tú, empezó la fiesta. (When you arrived, the party began.)
Estando, habiendo, siendo
| Form | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| estando (gerund of estar) | "being (in a place or state)" | Estando enfermo, no fui a trabajar. Being ill, I didn't go to work. |
| siendo (gerund of ser) | "being (identity)" | Siendo médico, sabe lo que dice. Being a doctor, he knows what he's saying. |
| habiendo + participle | "having done" (an earlier action) | Habiendo terminado, me fui. Having finished, I left. |
These "being" and "having" forms are typical of formal and written Spanish; in speech people prefer a clause: Como estaba enfermo, no fui or Como terminé, me fui.
The absolute participle
| Pattern | Example |
|---|---|
| participle + noun, with its own subject (it agrees with the noun) | Terminado el trabajo, nos fuimos. Once the work was finished, we left. Hechas las compras, volvimos a casa. The shopping done, we went home. Resuelto el problema, todos se alegraron. Once the problem was solved, everyone was pleased. |
| with una vez or después de for emphasis | Una vez terminada la reunión, comimos. Once the meeting was over, we ate. |
The participle agrees in gender and number with the noun after it (terminado el trabajo, hechas las compras, terminada la reunión), because it is acting as an adjective. The construction replaces "after / once + clause" and belongs mainly to writing and news.
Ir, venir, andar, seguir + gerund
| Auxiliary | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| estar + gerund | in progress now | Estoy leyendo un libro. I'm reading a book. |
| ir + gerund | gradually, step by step | Las cosas van mejorando. Things are gradually improving. Ve preparando la cena. Start preparing dinner (gradually, in advance). |
| venir + gerund | repeated or continuing up to now | Vengo diciéndolo desde hace años. I've been saying it for years. |
| andar + gerund | to go around doing (often casual, with some disapproval) | ¿Qué andas buscando? What are you looking for? Anda diciendo mentiras. He goes around telling lies. |
| seguir / continuar + gerund | "keep on, still" | Sigo estudiando español. I'm still studying Spanish. Llovía y seguía lloviendo. It rained and kept on raining. |
| llevar + time + gerund | "have been doing for…" | Llevo dos años estudiando español. I've been studying Spanish for two years. |
🗣️ In Use — En situación
① Coming home
② Learning
③ Office talk
📋 Quick Reference — Resumen
| Topic | Summary |
|---|---|
| gerund | -ando, -iendo, -yendo; -ir stem change: pidiendo, durmiendo |
| uses | progressive, manner, simultaneous, cause, condition |
| after a preposition | infinitive: al llegar, después de comer, sin decir |
| estando, siendo, habiendo | "being", "having done" |
| absolute participle | Terminado el trabajo, nos fuimos. (agrees with the noun) |
| ir / venir / andar / seguir / llevar | + gerund: va mejorando, sigo estudiando, llevo dos años estudiando |
| never | a gerund as a noun or an adjective |
✏️ Try It Yourself — Ejercicios
Say the answer first, then click to check.
1. Give the gerund: hablar, comer, vivir, leer, pedir, dormir, decir.
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hablando · comiendo · viviendo · leyendo · pidiendo · durmiendo · diciendo.
2. Attach the pronoun to the gerund: "Estoy comiendo lo." · "Estoy hablando le."
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Estoy comiéndolo (or Lo estoy comiendo). · Estoy hablándole (or Le estoy hablando).
3. Say in Spanish: "I learned Spanish by watching films." · "He ran out of the house." (gerund)
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Aprendí español viendo películas. · Salió de casa corriendo.
4. Translate: "On arriving home, I called my mother." · "After eating, we took a walk."
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Al llegar a casa, llamé a mi madre. · Después de comer, dimos un paseo.
5. Translate: "Before leaving, close the window." · "He left without saying goodbye."
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Antes de salir, cierra la ventana. · Se fue sin decir adiós.
6. Translate: "Being ill, I didn't go to work." · "Having finished, I left."
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Estando enfermo, no fui a trabajar. · Habiendo terminado, me fui.
7. Use an absolute participle: "Once the work was finished, we left." · "The shopping done, we went home."
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Terminado el trabajo, nos fuimos. · Hechas las compras, volvimos a casa.
8. Say in Spanish: "Things are gradually improving." · "I'm still studying Spanish." · "I've been studying Spanish for two years."
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Las cosas van mejorando. · Sigo estudiando español. · Llevo dos años estudiando español.
9. Say in Spanish: "A sleeping child" and "Swimming is good."
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Un niño dormido (or un niño que duerme) · Nadar es bueno. (Not a gerund in either.)
10. Correct the mistakes: Antes de saliendo, cierra la puerta. · Nadando es bueno. · Un niño durmiendo. · Terminada el trabajo, nos fuimos. · Estoy comiendo mañana.
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Antes de salir, cierra la puerta · Nadar es bueno · Un niño dormido · Terminado el trabajo, nos fuimos · Voy a comer mañana.