B1.31 - Houseviewing and moving

Non-finite verb forms: no comer, fue caminando...

Formas no personales del verbo: no comer, fue caminando...

Las formas no personales del verbo se usan para hablar de acciones sin decir quién las hace ni cuándo pasan.

(Non-finite verb forms are used to talk about actions without saying who does them or when they happen.)

Infinitive, gerund, participle: the quick decision

  • Infinitive = the action in general (“to…”) or as a noun.
  • Gerund (gerundio) = an action in progress or the way/method something happens (“…ing”).
  • Past participle (participio) = the result/state after an action (“done/finished”).
Question to ask Use Typical Spanish shape
“What is the rule / activity in general?” Infinitive fumar, visitar, mudarse
“Is it happening right now / while…?” Gerund fumando, visitando, buscando
“What is the state now (as a result)?” Participle amueblado, cerrado, hecho

Infinitive: rules, plans, and “verb + verb”

  • Signs, rules, instructions often use infinitive (impersonal, neutral):
    • No fumar en el edificio.
    • No aparcar en la entrada.
  • After many common verbs, Spanish uses infinitive (not “-ing”):
    • Queremos visitar el piso.
    • Necesito hablar con la propietaria.
    • Vamos a firmar el contrato.
  • As a “thing” (an activity as a concept):
    • Mudarse es estresante.
    • No sé si mudarse ahora es buena idea.

Self-check: If you can replace it with “the act of …” in English, you probably need infinitive.

Gerund (gerundio): in progress vs. “how/what way”

  • Action in progress (very often with estar):
    • Está haciendo la mudanza. (in progress)
    • Estamos buscando piso.
  • Short answers to “What are you doing?”:
    • —¿Qué haces? —Buscando piso.
  • How / in what way something happens (method, manner):
    • Fue caminando hasta la empresa de mudanzas. (= she went on foot / by walking)
    • Aprende comparando precios. (= by comparing)

Key idea: The gerund is not “any -ing”. It is mainly for progress or method/manner.

Participle: “estar + participle” describes a state (result)

  • Use estar + participle for the current condition of something.
  • Very common in housing, admin, and professional contexts.
Meaning Correct Wrong
State/result now El piso está amueblado. El piso está amueblando.
Door/window state La puerta está cerrada. La puerta está cerrando.

Self-check: If you mean “already done / already in that condition”, choose participle.

Common traps for English speakers (and how to avoid them)

  • Trap 1: Using gerund after a verb just because English uses “-ing”.
    • Correct: Quiero visitar el piso.
    • Wrong: Quiero visitando el piso.
  • Trap 2: Confusing “progress” with “state”.
    • Progress: Están amueblando el piso. (they are furnishing it right now)
    • State/result: El piso está amueblado. (it is furnished already)
  • Trap 3: Overusing the gerund to mean “after” or “and then”.
    • Better: Salió y fue a la inmobiliaria.
    • Use gerund only if it answers how/while: Fue caminando.

Mini checklist: choose the form in 10 seconds

  1. Is it a rule/instruction or “verb + verb”? → Infinitive (No fumar / Queremos visitar).
  2. Is the action happening right now? → Gerund (Está buscando).
  3. Do you describe the result/state? → Participle (Está amueblado).
  4. Do you mean the method (“by doing”)? → Gerund (Fue caminando / Aprende comparando).
  1. Infinitive ⇒ used to express actions in general or after another verb.
  2. Gerund ⇒ indicates an action in progress or the way of doing something.
  3. Participle ⇒ describes the result or state of an action.
FormaUsoEjemplo
InfinitivoNorma o aviso (Rule or notice)No fumar en el edificio. (No smoking in the building.)
InfinitivoDespués de otro verbo (After another verb)Queremos visitar el piso. (We want to visit the apartment.)
InfinitivoExpresar duda (To express doubt)No sé si mudarse ahora es buena idea. (I don’t know if moving now is a good idea.)
GerundioAcción en progreso (Action in progress)Está haciendo la mudanza (He/She is moving.)
GerundioRespuesta corta (Short answer)-¿Qué haces? -Buscando piso. (-What are you doing? -Looking for an apartment.)
GerundioIndicar cómo o dónde (To indicate how or where)Fue caminando por la calle. (He/She went walking down the street.)
GerundioIndicar la manera (To indicate the way/manner)Aprende comparando precios. (He/She learns by comparing prices.)
ParticipioDescribir el estado (To describe the state)El piso está amueblado. (The apartment is furnished.)

Exercise 1: Multiple choice

Instruction: Choose the correct answer

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1. En el portal hay un cartel que dice: "No ____ en el edificio".

In the entryway there is a sign that says: "No ____ in the building".

2. Queremos ____ el piso esta tarde para ver si es luminoso.

We want to ____ the apartment this afternoon to see if it is bright.

3. La dueña fue ____ hasta la empresa de mudanzas para pedir presupuesto.

The owner went ____ to the moving company to ask for an estimate.

4. El piso ya está ____, pero el recibo de la luz no está incluido.

The apartment is already ____, but the electricity bill is not included.

Exercise 2: Rewrite the phrases

Instruction: Rewrite the sentences using the correct non-finite verb form (infinitive, gerund or participle), as in the example: “Está en proceso de mudanza” → “Está haciendo la mudanza”.

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  1. En este edificio no se permite que la gente fume.
    ⇒ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ Example
    No fumar en este edificio.
    (No smoking in this building.)
  2. Queremos que veas el piso esta tarde.
    ⇒ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ Example
    Queremos ver el piso esta tarde.
    (We want to see the apartment this afternoon.)
  3. No sé si nos mudamos ahora es una buena idea.
    ⇒ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ Example
    No sé si mudarse ahora es buena idea.
    (I don't know if moving now is a good idea.)
  4. Ahora mismo ella hace la mudanza.
    ⇒ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ Example
    Ahora mismo ella está haciendo la mudanza.
    (Right now she is moving.)

Exercise 3: Multiple Choice

Instruction: Choose the correct sentence in each case.

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1.
Incorrect: with «estar» to describe a state, the past participle («amueblado») is used, not the gerund («amueblando»).
2.
Incorrect: the natural word order in Spanish for this case is «fuimos caminando» or «fuimos andando»; here the sentence is inverted in an unnatural way if one intends to use «al final» at the beginning — better to keep «Al final fuimos caminando...».

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Alessia Amoroso

Master of Languages, Cultures, Communication

Università degli Studi di Modena e Reggio Emilia

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Last Updated:

Tuesday, 19/05/2026 23:20