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How to Say "occurring" in Spanish

English → Spanish

ocurriendo

oh-koo-RYEN-doh/okuˈrjen̪do/

Gerund (Present Participle)B1Informal
Use 'ocurriendo' when you want to describe something that is happening right now in a general or informal context.
A simple storybook illustration of a small volcano actively erupting, showing lava flowing down its side, illustrating action in progress.

Examples

¿Qué está ocurriendo aquí? Hay mucho ruido.

What is happening here? There is a lot of noise.

La ceremonia está ocurriendo en este momento.

The ceremony is occurring at this moment.

No te preocupes, no está ocurriendo nada grave.

Don't worry, nothing serious is happening.

Forming the Continuous Tense

To show that something is currently 'happening,' you must use the verb 'estar' (to be) followed by 'ocurriendo': 'El cambio está ocurriendo' (The change is happening).

Always Ends in -iendo

Since the base verb 'ocurrir' ends in -ir, its present participle form always ends in -iendo. This form is always the same, regardless of who or what is doing the action.

Using 'Ser' Instead of 'Estar'

Mistake: “El evento es ocurriendo.”

Correction: El evento está ocurriendo. Use 'estar' when talking about actions currently in progress.

sucediendo

soo-seh-dee-EN-doh/su.seˈðjen.do/

Verb (Gerund)B1Formal
Choose 'sucediendo' for a slightly more formal or literary way to say something is happening, often implying a sequence of events or a more significant occurrence.
A close-up illustration of a small brown seed partially buried in dark soil. A bright green shoot is actively emerging from the top of the seed, showing an event currently in progress.

Examples

No te preocupes, no está sucediendo nada malo.

Don't worry, nothing bad is happening.

La reunión ha estado sucediendo por más de dos horas.

The meeting has been happening for more than two hours.

Es increíble lo rápido que está sucediendo el cambio en la tecnología.

It's incredible how fast the change in technology is occurring.

The Continuous Action Form

This form ('-iendo') is used to describe an action that is in progress right now. It is almost always paired with a conjugated form of the verb 'estar' (to be), making the 'present continuous' tense.

Using 'Ser' instead of 'Estar'

Mistake: “La reunión es sucediendo.”

Correction: La reunión está sucediendo. (Remember: 'estar' is always used for temporary, ongoing actions like the gerund.)

Confusing Gerunds

Mistake: “Sucediendo is sometimes confused with 'siguiendo' (following).”

Correction: Listen carefully to the 'c' sound (suceder) versus the 'g' sound (seguir). They are completely different verbs.

Ocurriendo vs. Sucediendo

The main confusion is knowing when to use the more common 'ocurriendo' versus the slightly more formal 'sucediendo'. While interchangeable in many contexts, defaulting to 'ocurriendo' is safer for everyday conversations unless a more formal tone is specifically desired.

Related Translations

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