echando
/eh-CHAHN-doh/
throwing
Depicting the physical action of throwing.
echando(verb)
throwing
?physical action of tossing
,tossing
?lightly throwing
casting
?throwing a net or line
,hurling
?throwing with force
📝 In Action
El niño está echando piedras al río.
A1The boy is throwing stones into the river.
Están echando la red para pescar en el mar.
A2They are casting the net to fish in the sea.
💡 Grammar Points
Continuous Action
The '-ando' ending means the action is ongoing. When you say 'estoy echando,' it means the throwing or tossing is happening right now.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Confusing 'echar' and 'tirar'
Mistake: "Using 'echar' when you mean 'to throw away' trash, which usually requires 'tirar'."
Correction: Use 'tirar' for garbage ('tirar la basura'), and 'echar' for throwing something toward a target.
⭐ Usage Tips
Focus on Placement
Think of 'echar' not just as throwing, but as 'sending' or 'placing' something quickly toward a destination.
Illustrating the action of pouring a liquid.
echando(verb)
pouring
?liquids
,adding
?ingredients or substances
serving
?pouring a drink
,applying
?placing a coat of paint, etc.
📝 In Action
Ella está echando agua a las plantas.
A1She is pouring water on the plants.
¿Estás echando mucha sal a la sopa?
A2Are you adding a lot of salt to the soup?
💡 Grammar Points
Liquids and Ingredients
This meaning of 'echando' is used frequently for adding any kind of substance, whether it's pouring coffee or mixing spices into a recipe.
Representing the action of firing or dismissing an employee.
echando(verb)
firing
?dismissing an employee
,kicking out
?expelling someone
dismissing
?formal dismissal
📝 In Action
La empresa está echando a mucha gente por la crisis.
B1The company is firing a lot of people due to the crisis.
El guardia de seguridad lo está echando del local.
B2The security guard is kicking him out of the premises.
💡 Grammar Points
Meaning Shift
Here, 'echar' retains its core meaning of 'sending,' but it implies sending someone away permanently or forcefully.
⭐ Usage Tips
The preposition 'a'
When referring to firing someone, always include the preposition 'a': 'echar a alguien' (to fire someone).
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
preterite
imperfect
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: echando
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence correctly uses 'echando' in the sense of 'adding an ingredient'?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'echando' the same as 'tirando'?
Not exactly. While both can mean 'throwing,' 'tirando' often implies throwing something away (like trash). 'Echando' is generally used for placing something somewhere, pouring, or starting an action.
How do I use 'echando' to talk about missing someone?
You use the full idiom 'estar echando de menos a alguien.' For example, 'Estoy echando de menos a mi familia' means 'I am missing my family.' The word 'echando' is just one part of that fixed phrase.