How to Say "by paying" in Spanish
The Spanish word for “by paying” is “pagando” — A1 level. This is a very common word in everyday Spanish.
Examples
Estoy pagando la hipoteca de la casa.
I am paying the mortgage on the house.
Ella aprendió el idioma viajando y pagando clases privadas.
She learned the language by traveling and paying for private lessons.
El criminal sigue pagando por sus errores, incluso en prisión.
The criminal is still paying for his mistakes, even in prison.
Forming the Progressive Tense
You use 'pagando' with the verb 'estar' (like 'to be') to show an action happening right now: 'Estoy pagando' (I am paying).
How to Form Gerunds
For all verbs that end in -ar (like 'pagar'), you drop the -ar and add -ando. It's almost always regular!
Confusing Gerunds and Infinitives
Mistake: “Me gusta pagando. (Incorrect: I like paying.)”
Correction: Me gusta pagar. (Correct: Use the base form 'pagar' after verbs like 'gustar'.)
Related Translations
Learn Spanish with Inklingo
Interactive stories, personalized learning, and more.