A simple storybook illustration of a hand pushing open a wooden door to reveal a bright garden.

abriendo

ah-bree-ehn-doh

verbA1regular ir

opening?physically moving something to an open position

Also:starting?beginning an event or business,unlocking?using a key or code

Quick Reference

gerundabriendo

past Participleabierto

infinitiveabrir

📝 In Action

Estoy abriendo la ventana porque hace calor.

I am opening the window because it is hot.

Ella está abriendo su propia tienda de ropa.

She is opening (starting) her own clothing store.

Fuimos abriendo todas las cajas poco a poco.

We were opening all the boxes little by little.

Word Connections

Synonyms

inaugurando (inaugurating/opening for the first time)
destapando (uncovering/opening a lid)

Antonyms

cerrando (closing)

Common Collocations

abriendo camino – blazing a trail (opening a path)
abriendo los ojos – opening one's eyes

Idioms & Expressions

abriendo el apetito – doing something that makes you feel hungry

💡 Grammar Points

The '-ing' Form

In Spanish, for verbs ending in -ir like 'abrir,' you replace the ending with '-iendo' to show an action is happening right now.

❌ Common Pitfalls

Using 'abriendo' alone

Mistake: "Yo abriendo la puerta."

Correction: Say 'Estoy abriendo la puerta.' You usually need a word like 'estoy' (I am) before it to make a full sentence.

⭐ Usage Tips

Ongoing Actions

Use 'abriendo' when you want to emphasize that the process is currently in motion, not just that it happened.

🔄 Conjugations

subjunctive

imperfect

ellos/ellas/ustedesabrieran

yoabriera

túabrieras

vosotrosabrierais

nosotrosabriéramos

él/ella/ustedabriera

present

ellos/ellas/ustedesabran

yoabra

túabras

vosotrosabráis

nosotrosabramos

él/ella/ustedabra

indicative

preterite

ellos/ellas/ustedesabrieron

yoabrí

túabriste

vosotrosabristeis

nosotrosabrimos

él/ella/ustedabrió

imperfect

ellos/ellas/ustedesabrían

yoabría

túabrías

vosotrosabríais

nosotrosabríamos

él/ella/ustedabría

present

ellos/ellas/ustedesabren

yoabro

túabres

vosotrosabrís

nosotrosabrimos

él/ella/ustedabre

View All Tenses & Moods →

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: abriendo

Question 1 of 2

Which of these means 'I am opening the gifts'?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

abrir(to open) - verb

abierto(open / opened) - adjective

abridor(opener (tool)) - noun

apertura(opening (event/gap)) - noun

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between 'abriendo' and 'abierto'?

'Abriendo' is the action in progress (opening), while 'abierto' describes the state of the object (it is open) or the finished action (it has been opened).

Can 'abriendo' be used for websites?

Yes, just like in English, you can say 'estoy abriendo la página' to mean you are loading or accessing a website.