A comprehensive overview of Spanish gerunds and participles, including their formation, usage, and role in expressing actions, descriptions, and compound tenses.
Understanding gerunds and participles is essential for mastering Spanish verb forms beyond the simple tenses. Gerunds (-ando, -iendo) express ongoing actions, while past participles (-ado, -ido) describe completed actions or form compound tenses. This guide covers how to form and use these endings across -ar, -er, and -ir verbs.
Gerunds in Spanish correspond to the English “-ing” form. They describe actions in progress (e.g., “I am singing”). Follow these rules:
- For -ar verbs: remove -ar and add -ando (hablar → hablando)
- For -er verbs: remove -er and add -iendo (comer → comiendo)
- For -ir verbs: remove -ir and add -iendo (vivir → viviendo)
- Stem-changing -ir verbs change in the gerund (e → i, o → u)
- Irregular gerunds include leyendo (leer), yendo (ir), durmiendo (dormir)
What ending is used for gerunds of -er and -ir verbs in Spanish?
-iendo
Gerunds for both -er and -ir verbs are formed by adding -iendo to the stem (e.g., comer → comiendo, vivir → viviendo).
Past participles in Spanish describe completed actions or combine with haber for perfect tenses. They can also function as adjectives.
- For -ar verbs: remove -ar and add -ado (hablar → hablado)
- For -er and -ir verbs: remove ending and add -ido (comer → comido, vivir → vivido)
- Irregular participles must be memorized (e.g., hecho, dicho, escrito, roto)
- When used as adjectives, participles agree in gender and number (la puerta está abierta)
- Gerunds (-ando, -iendo) express ongoing actions.
- Past participles (-ado, -ido) describe completed actions.
- Regular stem endings apply verb group rules (-ar, -er, -ir).
- -ir verbs may have stem changes in the gerund.
- Irregular forms are common and must be learned separately.
- Participles can be used with haber or as adjectives.
Last updated: Thu Jun 12, 2025
