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Grammar
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Español — Gerund formation
The Spanish gerund adds -ando to -ar verbs and -iendo to -er/-ir verbs (hablando, comiendo, viviendo). A handful of verbs are irregular: leyendo, oyendo, trayendo, diciendo, pidiendo, durmiendo, muriendo, yendo.
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How it works
✓ Rule
Take the infinitive stem: -ar verbs form the gerund with -ando (hablar → hablando), while -er and -ir verbs use -iendo (comer → comiendo, vivir → viviendo). This one form works with estar to build the progressive: estoy comiendo.
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Examples
| Infinitive | Gerund | Type |
|---|---|---|
| hablar | hablando | regular -ar → -ando |
| comer | comiendo | regular -er → -iendo |
| vivir | viviendo | regular -ir → -iendo |
| leer | leyendo | i → y between vowels |
| oír | oyendo | i → y between vowels |
| decir | diciendo | e → i stem change |
| dormir | durmiendo | o → u stem change |
| ir | yendo | fully irregular |
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Good to know
⚠ Note
The y-forms and stem changes are not optional: comiendo is regular, but the verb pedir must become pidiendo (never *pediendo), and morir becomes muriendo. Also, unlike English, the Spanish gerund is never used as a noun — say el fumar or fumar, not *fumando, for 'smoking'.