A child intently juggling three brightly colored balls, demonstrating the effort of practicing a skill.

practicando

prak-ti-KAN-do

Verbal Adverb (Gerund)A1regular ar

practicing?working on a skill

Also:performing?carrying out an action or job,doing?general ongoing action

Quick Reference

past Participlepracticado

infinitivepracticar

gerundpracticando

📝 In Action

Estoy practicando mi pronunciación todos los días.

I am practicing my pronunciation every day.

Mi hermana está practicando la natación para la competencia.

My sister is practicing swimming for the competition.

Practicando con constancia, verás resultados rápidos.

By practicing consistently, you will see fast results. (Here, it means 'By means of practicing')

Word Connections

Synonyms

ensayando (rehearsing)
ejerciendo (exercising (a profession))

Common Collocations

seguir practicando – to keep practicing
estar practicando – to be practicing

💡 Grammar Points

The Continuous Action Form

In Spanish, we use the verb 'estar' (to be) followed by 'practicando' to say that the action is happening right now, just like the '-ing' form in English. (E.g., Estoy practicando = I am practicing.)

Function as an Adverb

This form can also explain HOW something is done, or WHEN. For example: 'Practicando, lo lograrás' means 'By practicing, you will achieve it.'

❌ Common Pitfalls

Using 'Ser' instead of 'Estar'

Mistake: "Soy practicando."

Correction: The correct verb is always 'estar' when talking about an action happening in the moment: 'Estoy practicando.' (I am practicing.)

⭐ Usage Tips

The '-ando' Pattern

Remember that all verbs whose base form ends in '-ar' (like 'practicar') will form this ongoing action form by changing '-ar' to '-ando'. (e.g., hablar -> hablando, estudiar -> estudiando).

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: practicando

Question 1 of 1

Which sentence correctly uses 'practicando' to describe an ongoing action?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

practicar(to practice (infinitive)) - verb

práctica(practice, internship) - noun

practicante(practitioner, intern) - noun/adjective

Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'practicando' the same as 'practico'?

No. 'Practicando' means 'practicing' (the ongoing action). 'Practico' means 'I practice' (the habitual action or what I do generally). They are used in very different kinds of sentences.

Can I use 'practicando' without 'estar'?

Yes! When you use it alone, it usually means 'while practicing' or 'by practicing,' adding extra information to the main verb. Example: 'Practicando mucho, mejoré' (By practicing a lot, I improved).