Inklingo
← Dictionary
A friendly, young bear cub is sitting on a grassy hill, deeply focused on reading a large, open red book. The scene is bright and colorful.

aprendiendo

ah-pren-DYEN-doh

GerundA1regular er
learning?acquiring knowledge or skill
Also:acquiring?knowledge or habit,picking up?a new skill or language

Quick Reference

infinitiveaprender
gerundaprendiendo
past Participleaprendido

📝 In Action

Mi hijo está aprendiendo a leer en la escuela.

A1

My son is learning to read at school.

Hemos estado aprendiendo mucho sobre la historia del arte.

A2

We have been learning a lot about art history.

Ella sigue aprendiendo el idioma, aunque ya habla bien.

B1

She keeps learning the language, even though she already speaks well.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Common Collocations

  • estar aprendiendo – to be learning (now)
  • ir aprendiendo – to gradually learn

💡 Grammar Points

The '-ing' Form

This word is the Spanish equivalent of English verbs ending in '-ing' (learning, running, talking). It describes an action currently in progress.

Using the Gerund

You must use 'aprendiendo' with a form of the verb 'estar' (to be) to show continuous action: 'Estoy aprendiendo' (I am learning).

Always Ends in -iendo

Since the base verb 'aprender' ends in '-er', its gerund (the -ing form) always ends in '-iendo', unlike '-ar' verbs which use '-ando'.

❌ Common Pitfalls

Mixing Gerunds and Infinitives

Mistake: "Using 'Estoy aprender' instead of 'Estoy aprendiendo'."

Correction: The verb 'estar' must always be followed by the '-ing' form ('aprendiendo') to describe what you are doing right now.

⭐ Usage Tips

Focus on the Process

Use 'aprendiendo' when you want to emphasize that the process of gaining knowledge is ongoing and incomplete.

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: aprendiendo

Question 1 of 2

Which sentence correctly uses 'aprendiendo'?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

aprender(to learn) - verb
aprendizaje(learning (noun)) - noun
aprendiz(apprentice) - noun

Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'aprendiendo' a verb or an adjective?

'Aprendiendo' is a special verb form called a gerund. It is always used to describe an action that is ongoing or currently happening, usually right after the verb 'estar' (to be).

Why does 'aprender' use '-iendo' and not '-ando'?

The rule is simple: verbs whose base form ends in '-er' or '-ir' (like *aprender* or *vivir*) always form their '-ing' word with '-iendo'. Only verbs ending in '-ar' use '-ando'.