Gerund Formation: -ando, -iendo

Think of the English word "running." In Spanish, that is corriendo. Most of the time, you pair it with the verb estar. This creates the present progressive tense. You say estoy comiendo. That means "I am eating." It is not for the future. It is not for general habits. It is for this exact moment. You use it to describe a scene. You use it to explain a delay. It is your "camera" on the world. Imagine you are ordering food. You are still looking at the menu. The waiter comes over. You say, estoy decidiendo. This tells him you are still in the process. It is polite. It is clear. Pair estar with your gerund. It is a simple two-step dance. You conjugate estar for the person. You keep the gerund the same. It never changes for gender. It never changes for number. It is very stable. Think of it like a grammar traffic light. It tells people where you are in an action.

1. 1Creating these words is easy. You follow a few simple steps.
2. 2Find your starting verb.
3. 3Remove the infinitive ending (-ar, -er, or -ir).
4. 4Add the special gerund ending.
5. 5For -ar verbs, you add -ando.
6. 6Example: hablar becomes hablando.
7. 7For -er and -ir verbs, you add -iendo.
8. 8Example: comer becomes comiendo.
9. 9Example: vivir becomes viviendo.
10. 10Some verbs are a bit tricky. If the stem ends in a vowel, use -yendo.
11. 11Example: leer becomes leyendo.
12. 12This prevents three vowels from clumping together. Spanish likes to stay pretty. Stem-changing -ir verbs also change here.
13. 13Example: dormir becomes durmiendo.
14. 14Example: pedir becomes pidiendo.
15. 15Think of it as the verb's active outfit. It is what the verb wears when it is working. The -ir verbs are the drama queens here. They love to change their vowels. But -ar and -er verbs are chill. They rarely change their stems in this form. Just drop the tail and add the new one. It is like changing clothes for a party. You are ready to go in seconds.

Use it for things happening right now. You are walking to a job interview. You call your mom. You say estoy caminando. You are at a restaurant. You are waiting for food. You tell the waiter you are still choosing. You use estoy eligiendo. It is great for background actions too. Maybe you are living in Spain this year. You say estoy viviendo en España. It sets the stage for other stories. It feels immediate and real. Use it to be specific. If someone asks what you are doing, use this. You can use it to emphasize a long process. You can use it to show frustration. ¡Estoy trabajando! sounds much more intense than trabajo. It says "Leave me alone, I am busy!" It is perfect for talking about your hobbies. It is perfect for talking about your career. Use it when the action is unfinished. It is the tense of the "now."

English speakers love "-ing." Spanish speakers use it less. Do not use it for the future. In English, you say "I am going tomorrow." In Spanish, you say voy mañana. Never say estoy yendo mañana. That sounds very strange to natives. Also, do not use it as a noun. In English, you say "Running is fun." In Spanish, you use the infinitive. You say correr es divertido. Using corriendo here is a big mistake. It is a common trap for learners. Avoid it and you will sound great. Do not use it for permanent states. Do not use it for general facts. Water boils at 100 degrees. That is a fact. Use the simple present. Only use the gerund if the water is bubbling right now. It is a tool for the specific, not the general. Keep it in its box for the best results.

The biggest mistake is the future usage. English habits are hard to break. Keep the gerund for the present. Another mistake is forgetting the verb estar. You cannot just say yo hablando. You must say yo estoy hablando. It is like saying "I talking" in English. Yes, even native speakers mess this up sometimes when rushing. But you want to be clear. Also, watch those double vowels. Leiendo is wrong. Leyendo is the winner. The letter y is your friend here. It acts as a bridge. It keeps the sounds separate. Also, check your stem changes. Dormiendo sounds funny to a native. They will understand you. But they will know you are a learner. Use durmiendo instead. It is like wearing mismatched socks. It works, but it looks a bit off. Pay attention to the details.

Compare the present simple and the progressive. Como pizza means "I eat pizza." You might do it every Friday. Estoy comiendo pizza means the slice is in your hand. One is a habit. The other is a moment. Use the simple present for most things. Use the progressive for emphasis. It adds flavor to your speech. It shows you are focused. It is the difference between a photo and a video. If you are asking for directions, use the simple present. ¿Dónde está el museo? is perfect. But if you are currently walking there, use the gerund. Estoy buscando el museo. It explains your current state. It gives context to the listener. Both are good. But they serve different masters. Choose the one that fits your goal. Simple for facts. Progressive for feelings and actions.