Inklingo

How to Say "receiving" in Spanish

English → Spanish

recibiendo

/reh-see-BYEN-doh//re.siˈβjen.do/

Verb (Gerund/Present Participle)A1general
Use 'recibiendo' when you want to describe the ongoing action or process of getting, accepting, or obtaining something.
A close-up view of a pair of cartoon hands reaching out and actively accepting a small, brightly colored wrapped gift box.

Examples

Estamos recibiendo mucha ayuda de la comunidad.

We are receiving a lot of help from the community.

Mi hermano está recibiendo clases de guitarra esta semana.

My brother is taking (receiving) guitar lessons this week.

El jefe sigue recibiendo llamadas a pesar de ser tarde.

The boss keeps taking calls even though it's late.

The Continuous Action

'Recibiendo' is the 'doing' form of 'recibir.' It is always used with the verb 'estar' (to be) to show an action is ongoing: 'Estoy recibiendo' (I am receiving).

Making it Continuous

For verbs ending in -IR or -ER, the continuous form ends in -IENDO. Since 'recibir' ends in -IR, it follows this easy pattern.

Forgetting 'Estar'

Mistake:Yo recibiendo el correo.

Correction: Yo estoy recibiendo el correo. Remember, you need a form of 'estar' to hold the continuous action together.

recepción

NounB1general
Use 'recepción' when referring to the noun form, meaning the act, process, or place of receiving something, like a delivery or a guest.

Examples

Confirmamos la recepción de su solicitud de beca.

We confirm the receipt of your scholarship application.

Noun vs. Verb Form

The most common mistake is using the noun 'recepción' when you actually mean the ongoing action, which requires the gerund 'recibiendo'. Remember, if you're describing something happening *right now*, you likely need the verb form.

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