You’re walking through a beautiful plaza in a Spanish-speaking country. You overhear snippets of conversation: "Estoy buscando la catedral," "Los niños están comiendo helado," "Estamos aprendiendo mucho."
You notice a pattern: those -ando and -iendo endings keep popping up. What do they mean?
You've just stumbled upon the Spanish gerund! And while its name might sound a little intimidating, it's one of the most useful and straightforward concepts you'll learn. It's the key to describing actions as they happen.
Let's dive in and master the Spanish gerundiogerund.
What Exactly is a Spanish Gerund?
Think of the Spanish gerund as the equivalent of the "-ing" form in English.
- Walking -> Caminando
- Eating -> Comiendo
- Living -> Viviendo
It’s a special verb form that expresses an ongoing, continuous action. It answers the question, "What is happening right now?"
How to Form the Gerund: The Easy Part!
Creating the gerund in Spanish is incredibly consistent. There are just two main rules based on the verb's infinitive ending (-ar, -er, or -ir). If you need a refresher on these base forms, check out our guide on regular -er and -ir verb conjugations.
1. For -AR Verbs
Simply drop the -ar ending from the infinitive and add -ando.
- Hablar (to talk) →
habl+ando→ hablando (talking) - Caminar (to walk) →
camin+ando→ caminando (walking) - Comprar (to buy) →
compr+ando→ comprando (buying)
2. For -ER and -IR Verbs
For both -er and -ir verbs, drop the infinitive ending and add -iendo.
- Comer (to eat) →
com+iendo→ comiendo (eating) - Aprender (to learn) →
aprend+iendo→ aprendiendo (learning) - Vivir (to live) →
viv+iendo→ viviendo (living)
That's it for most verbs! Simple, right?
What is the gerund form of the verb 'escribir' (to write)?
The Tricky Part: Irregular Gerunds
Of course, Spanish loves to keep us on our toes with a few irregulars. But don't worry, they follow predictable patterns.
1. Stem-Changing -IR Verbs
If an -ir verb has a stem change in the present tense (like e→i or o→u), it will have the same change in its gerund form.
- Decir (to say) → diciendo
- Pedir (to ask for) → pidiendo
- Sentir (to feel) → sintiendo
- Dormir (to sleep) → durmiendo
- Morir (to die) → muriendo
2. "Y" Gerunds
When the stem of an -er or -ir verb ends in a vowel, the -iendo changes to -yendo to avoid an awkward three-vowel pile-up.
- Leer (to read) → le +
iendo→ leyendo (not leiendo) - Creer (to believe) → cre +
iendo→ creyendo - Traer (to bring) → tra +
iendo→ trayendo - Ir (to go) → yendo (This one is highly irregular, but very common!)
Pronunciation Tip
The "y" in "-yendo" sounds like the "y" in the English word "yes." This change makes the words flow much more smoothly off the tongue. Try saying "le-iendo" and then "le-yendo"—you'll feel the difference!
How to Use the Gerund: The Present Progressive
The most common use of the Spanish gerund is to form the present progressive tense. This tense is all about what's happening right now.
Formula: estar (conjugated) + gerund
(For a complete understanding of when to use this verb, check out our guide on Ser vs. Estar.)
Let's see it in action:
- Yo estoy hablando. (I am talking.)
- Tú estás comiendo. (You are eating.)
- Él está leyendo un libro. (He is reading a book.)
- Nosotros estamos aprendiendo español. (We are learning Spanish.)
- Ellos están durmiendo. (They are sleeping.)
This structure is your go-to for describing actions in progress.
Arrange the words to form a correct sentence:
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Important Grammar Alert!
In English, we can use the "-ing" form as a noun (e.g., "Swimming is my favorite hobby."). You cannot do this in Spanish. The Spanish gerund is only for actions, not for nouns.
To use a verb as a noun in Spanish, you must use the infinitive (-ar, -er, -ir). This is the same principle used when expressing preferences with verbs like gustar (e.g., Me gusta leer).
Drag the handle to compare
- Nadar es divertido. (Swimming is fun.)
- Me gusta leer. (I like reading.)
Beyond the Present Progressive
While the present progressive is the most common use, you'll also see the gerund used with other verbs to add nuance:
- Seguir + gerund (to keep on doing something)
- Sigo estudiando español. (I keep on studying Spanish.)
- Llevar + time + gerund (to have been doing something for a period of time)
- Llevo dos horas esperando. (I have been waiting for two hours.)
- Andar + gerund (to go around doing something)
- Anda diciendo mentiras. (He's going around telling lies.)
These are more advanced, but it's great to recognize them when you see them!
Ready to Practice?
The Spanish gerundio is a powerful tool that makes your Spanish sound more fluid and natural. By mastering -ando and -iendo, you unlock the ability to describe the world around you in real time.
Start listening for it in conversations and music, and try forming your own sentences. ¿Qué estás haciendo ahora? ¡Estás aprendiendo español!