Inklingo
← Dictionary

hablando

ah-BLAHN-dohaˈβlan̪.do

“hablando” means “speaking” in Spanish (describing an ongoing action).

speaking, talking

Also: by speaking
A1
Two stylized characters actively engaged in conversation, illustrating the ongoing action of talking.
infinitivehablar
gerundhablando
past Participlehablado

📝 In Action

Mi hermana está hablando por teléfono.

A1

My sister is talking on the phone.

Pasamos la noche hablando de nuestros planes.

A2

We spent the night talking about our plans.

Puedes resolver muchos problemas simplemente hablando.

B1

You can solve many problems simply by talking.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • conversando (conversing)
  • platicando (chatting (common in Latin America))

Antonyms

  • callando (being quiet)

Common Collocations

  • estar hablando – to be talking
  • seguir hablando – to keep talking
  • ir hablando – to be talking (while going somewhere)

Idioms & Expressions

  • Hablando del rey de Roma... – Speak of the devil...

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "hablando" in Spanish:

by speaking→speaking→talking→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: hablando

Question 1 of 1

Which sentence correctly uses 'hablando'?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
hablar(to speak, to talk) — Verb
el habla(speech, way of speaking) — Noun
hablador/a(talkative) — Adjective
hablante(speaker (of a language)) — Noun
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

Comes from the verb 'hablar', which itself is from the Latin word 'fabulari', meaning 'to chat' or 'to tell stories'. The '-ando' ending is the standard Spanish way to show an action is in progress, similar to '-ing' in English.

First recorded: This verb form has been part of Spanish since its early development from Vulgar Latin.

Cognates (Related words)

Portuguese: falandoItalian: parlandoCatalan: parlant

💡 Master Spanish

Take your Spanish to the next level. Read 200+ illustrated and narrated Spanish stories tailored to your level with the Inklingo app!

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use 'hablando' by itself, without 'estoy' or 'está'?

Yes, but it changes the meaning. By itself, it often means 'by talking' or 'while talking'. For example, 'Se solucionó el problema hablando' means 'The problem was solved by talking'. To say someone *is talking*, you need to include 'estar'.

Is 'hablando' the same as 'hablar'?

No, they are different forms of the same verb. 'Hablar' is the basic, unconjugated form, meaning 'to speak'. 'Hablando' is the '-ing' form, meaning 'speaking', and it's used for actions in progress.