✧ Spanish grammar - Gerunds ✧
Temiendo un susto, Luigi se acercó a la flor luminosa lentamente, temblando de arriba abajo.
· In Spanish, the gerund is “an impersonal form of the verb characterized morphologically by the inflectional affix -ndo”, as the Real Academia Española explains.
· It has two forms: the simple gerund and the compound gerund, which correspond respectively to the imperfective aspect and the perfective aspect.
· Unlike other languages, in Spanish the gerund doesn't have to share the same subject as the main clause. For example:
Estando ella fuera del país, su hermano tuvo gemelos. - While she was out of the country, her brother had twins.
✧ Formation ✧
· The simple gerund is formed by taking the root of the verb and adding the endings of the gerund:
- The root of the verb is obtained by removing -ar, -er, and -ir.
Hablar → Habl-
Comer → Com-
Vivir → Viv-
- The gerund endings are:
For first-conjugation verbs (-ar) → -ando (Hablar → Hablando)
For second- and third-conjugation verbs (-er and -ir) → -iendo (Comer → Comiendo; Vivir → Viviendo)
For some irregulars verbs -> Check out this website!
· The compound gerund is formed with “haber” in the gerund (habiendo) and the verb in the past participle form.
· Examples of both types:
Comiendo; habiendo comido
Escribiendo; habiendo escrito
Llegando; habiendo llegado
Bebiendo; habiendo bebido
Discutiendo; habiendo discutido
Colocando; habiendo colocado
✧ Uses of the simple gerund ✧
· In general, the simple gerund is used to express an action in progress, not yet completed:
- To talk about an action that occurs at the same time as another.
Acordándose de los momentos que habían pasado juntos, se despidió de su familia. - Remembering the moments they had spent together, she said goodbye to her family.
Nos balanceamos en el columpio, hablando de todo y nada a la vez. - We swung on the swing, talking about everything and nothing at the same time.
It is equivalent to “mientras (while) + verb in imperfective aspect” or “cuando (when) + verb in imperfective aspect.”
- To describe an ongoing action during which a specific, one-time action happens.
Llegando a la granja, vieron al pastor guiando a su ganado. - Upon arriving at the farm, they saw the shepherd herding his livestock.
Arreglando el tejado, se me cayó el móvil al suelo. - While I was fixing the roof, my cell phone fell to the ground.
It is equivalent to “mientras + verb in imperfective aspect” or “cuando + verb in imperfective aspect.”
- To express the manner in which an action is performed.
Hacía siempre las tareas de casa cantando canciones de su infancia. - He always did his chores while singing songs from his childhood.
Aprenda español leyendo esta versión del Quijote con anotaciones. - Learn Spanish by reading this annotated version of Don Quixote.
It can be equivalent to “mientras + verb in imperfective aspect” or “cuando + verb in imperfective aspect”.
Also, sentences containing a direct or indirect object and a gerund can lead to ambiguity, since the gerund’s lack of subject makes it difficult to distinguish who it refers to. Nos encontramos al profesor yendo en bicicleta por la calle. - We ran into the professor riding a bike through the street. -> Who is riding a bike? Us or the professor? It is possible in Spanish to add a subject to clear the confusion, although an equivalent structure is more recommended. Nos encontramos al profesor yendo nosotros en bicicleta por la calle. Nos encontramos al profesor yendo él en bicicleta por la calle.
- To express concession.
Teniendo una mente tan inteligente, no has continuado tus estudios. - Despite having such a brilliant mind, you haven’t continued your studies.
Aun siendo consciente de los peligros, decidió hacer una expedición por el Amazonas. - Even though she was aware of the dangers, she decided to go on an expedition through the Amazon.
It is equivalent to “a pesar de (despite) + verb.”
- To express cause.
Sabiendo lo que les esperaba, optaron por tomar otra ruta. - Knowing what awaited them, they chose to take another route.
Creyendo que no tendría suficiente arroz, compró demasiados paquetes. - Thinking he wouldn’t have enough rice, he bought too many packages.
It is equivalent to “como (since) + verb.”
- To express condition.
Suponiendo que llegue a tiempo, podrá unirse a la cena antes de que empecemos el postre. - Assuming he arrives on time, he’ll be able to join us for dinner before we start dessert.
Juntando todos vuestros ahorros, os podréis permitir el viaje de fin de curso. - If you pool all your savings, you’ll be able to afford the end-of-year trip.
It is equivalent to “si (if) + verb.”
✧ Uses of the compound gerund ✧
· In general, the compound gerund is used to express anteriority:
- To refer to a finished action that precedes another.
Habiendo escrito la carta, partió hacia Correos. - Having written the letter, he set off for the post office.
Habiendo dejado atrás su carruaje, vagaron por el camino hasta encontrar un refugio. - Having left their carriage behind, they wandered along the road until they found shelter.
It is equivalent to “cuando (when) + verb in the perfective aspect”, “al + infinitive” or “tras (after) + infinitive”.
- To express cause.
Esa tarde, habiéndola echado de menos en la cocina, buscó a su esposa por toda la casa. - That afternoon, having missed her in the kitchen, he searched the entire house for his wife.
Habiendo aprendido catalán, Alfonso empezó a trabajar en una editorial barcelonesa. - Having learned Catalan, Alfonso began working at a publishing house in Barcelona.
It is equivalent to “como (since) + verb in the perfective aspect.”
✧ Nuances on their use ✧
· Although they exist, both gerunds have a varying degree of frequency and sometimes are used incorrectly even by native Spanish speakers. That is why it is recommended to a. only employ gerunds if they follow the uses I explained, and b. use the equivalent constructions noted above.
- In verbal periphrases (verbal units composed of two co-dependent verbs, such as "estar + gerund"), the gerund is mandatory and irreplaceable.
Estamos llegando, en unos minutos te llamamos otra vez. - We're almost there, we'll call you back in a few minutes.
Desde hace tiempo andan diciendo que el proyecto será un fracaso. - People have been saying for a while now that the project will be a failure.
- To express cause and concession, the use of the gerund is more limited and will sound odd in some cases, while it is more accepted if it expresses condition is more accepted.
✘ Lloviendo tanto, las plantas siguen muy secas. -> A pesar de que llueve tanto, las plantas siguen muy secas. - Even though it rains so much, the plants are still very dry.
✘ Maullando tan alto, los dueños oían al gato desde el otro lado de la casa. -> Como maullaba tan alto, los dueños oían al gato desde el otro lado de la casa. - Since it was meowing so loudly, the owners could hear the cat from the other side of the house.
Pintando la pared así os vais a manchar la ropa buena. -> Si pintais la pared así os vais a manchar la ropa buena. - If you paint the wall like that, you’re going to get your nice clothes dirty.
- When it expresses manner, it rarely needs to be replaced for an equivalent construction, as this type of gerunds are very natural in Spanish. However, gerunds that express manner can also be understood as gerunds expressing simultaneity due to the overlap in meaning, and the latter might not sound natural as often - we prefer the structure "mientras/cuando + verb in the imperfect".
✘ Leyendo, anoto las palabras que no conozco. -> Mientras leo, anoto las palabras que no conozco. - As I read, I write down the words I don't know.
✘ Siempre es tan simpático que es imposible no sonreír escuchando lo que dice. -> Siempre es tan simpático que es imposible no sonreír cuando escuchas lo que dice. - He's always so charming that it's impossible not to smile when you listen to what he says.
Thinking about examples of manner and simultaneity, I realized that the gerund tends to sound better when placed after the main clause. Not always, as the first sentence above sounds odd either way, but in other cases it may make the gerund sound more natural.
- The compound gerund is the least common in everyday life, as it's reserved mostly for literature or similar literary texts.
✧ Final note ✧
· If I were to compare the gerund to languages like English, Russian or French, I'd say we use it less. How much less is very subjective, so although it's important to keep all the uses mentioned before in mind, you should pay extra attention to how often you hear people use gerunds, with which uses and through which verbs.
· As a cheat sheet (or "chuleta", as we call it in Spanish): in verbal periphrases with a gerund it's mandatory, the compound gerund is reserved to literature, when expressing manner and condition is allowed, and for everything else it should be replaced with an equivalent structure. And in case of doubts, change it for an equivalent structure.
· The gerund might give away that you're a foreigner if your language uses it more frequently, but it can also make you sound like a native speaker if you become acquainted with the everyday gerunds. And as always, ¡mucho ánimo! 🌺
