A2 Spanish grammar

Spanish Gerund Forms: Build -ando and -iendo Correctly

The Spanish gerund is the -ando or -iendo form used inside progressive and other verbal structures. It is not a standalone tense and does not replace every English -ing form.

Spanish gerund: Form regular -ando and -iendo gerunds

Replace -ar with -ando and replace -er or -ir with -iendo.

Está hablando y estamos comiendo.
He is speaking and we are eating.Hablar becomes hablando; comer becomes comiendo.

Quick check

Gerund of trabajar

Use -yendo after a vowel

When an -er or -ir stem ends in a vowel, i often becomes y, as in leyendo, oyendo, and trayendo.

Estoy leyendo el mensaje.
I am reading the message.Leer forms leyendo rather than leiendo.

Recognise common stem-changing gerunds

Some -ir verbs change their stem in the gerund, including dormir → durmiendo and pedir → pidiendo.

El bebé está durmiendo.
The baby is sleeping.Dormir changes o to u in the gerund.

Common mistakes

Estoy hablar.

Estoy hablando.

Estar in a progressive structure takes a gerund.

Está leiendo.

Está leyendo.

The vowel sequence produces -yendo.

Está dormiendo.

Está durmiendo.

The gerund of dormir is durmiendo.

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Spanish gerund FAQ

What does spanish gerund cover?

The Spanish gerund is the -ando or -iendo form used inside progressive and other verbal structures. It is not a standalone tense and does not replace every English -ing form.

What is the first rule to remember?

Replace -ar with -ando and replace -er or -ir with -iendo.

What is another important A2 pattern?

When an -er or -ir stem ends in a vowel, i often becomes y, as in leyendo, oyendo, and trayendo.

How can I practise Spanish gerund?

Complete the focused round, review each correction, and repeat the lesson when its skills become due again.

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