A2.32 - Family plans

The gerund, the three conjugations

El gerundio, las tres conjugaciones

El gerundioes una forma no personal de verbo que expresa una acción en progreso.

(The gerundio is a non-personal verb form that expresses an action in progress.)

What the gerundio is (and when to use it)

Gerundio = the Spanish “-ing” form: hablando, comiendo, viviendo.

  • Use it mainly with estar to describe an action in progress right now (or around now): estar + gerundio.
  • Think: “I am doing it (at this moment)”.
Meaning Spanish structure Example
Action in progress estar + gerundio Estoy leyendo un correo.
Habit / routine (not “right now”) Present simple Leo correos cada mañana.

How to form the gerundio (fast method)

  1. Take the infinitive (crear, vivir).
  2. Remove -ar / -er / -ir to get the stem: cre-, viv-.
  3. Add the ending:
Infinitive Gerundio ending Example
-ar -ando crear → creando
-er / -ir -iendo vivir → viviendo

Irregular forms you must recognize (high frequency)

Some gerundios are irregular. These are common and worth memorising as complete forms.

Infinitive Gerundio What changes
decir diciendo special form
leer leyendo i → y sound
ir yendo special form
oír oyendo i → y sound
venir viniendo special form
dormir durmiendo o → u (stem change)
caber cabiendo special form

Spelling trap: leiendo is wrong. Write leyendo.

Building the full “in progress” sentence

Conjugate estar, then add the gerundio.

Subject estar + gerundio Complete example
yo estoy leyendo Estoy leyendo un informe.
tú estás yendo Estás yendo al supermercado.
él/ella/usted está durmiendo Está durmiendo ahora.
nosotros/as estamos creando Estamos creando un plan.
  • Word order: Ahora / En este momento often goes at the start or end.
  • Negation: put no before estar: No estoy trabajando.

Self-check: choose the right form

  • Is it happening right now? → use estar + gerundio.
  • Is it a routine or “generally”? → use the present simple.
  • Does the verb appear in the irregular list? → use the memorised form: yendo, leyendo/leyendo, durmiendo…
English idea Correct Spanish Avoid
I’m reading (now). Estoy leyendo. Estoy leiendo
The baby is sleeping (now). El bebé está durmiendo. está dormiendo (common mistake)
We’re going (right now). Estamos yendo. Estamos iendo
  1. Verbs ending in -ar form the gerund with the stem + "-ando", as in trabajar -> trabaj-ando.
  2. Verbs ending in -er/-ir form the gerund with the stem + "-iendo", as in cumplir -> cumpliendo .
Tipo (Type)Verbo (Verb)Gerundio (Gerund)
Regular -arCrearCreando
Regular -erEsperarEsperando
Regular -irVivirViviendo
IrregularDecirDiciendo
IrregularLeerLeyendo
IrregularIrYendo
IrregularOírOyendo
IrregularVenirViniendo
IrregularDormirDurmiendo
IrregularCaberCabiendo

Exercise 1: Multiple choice

Instruction: Choose the correct answer

1. Estamos ___ un plan para formar una familia el año que viene.

We are ___ a plan to start a family next year.

2. Estoy ___ un libro sobre bebés porque queremos tener un hijo.

I am ___ a book about babies because we want to have a child.

3. ¿Puedes hablar más bajo? El bebé está ___ en la habitación.

Can you speak more quietly? The baby is ___ in the room.

4. Voy al médico ___ desde el trabajo, porque luego tengo que recoger a mi hija.

I go to the doctor ___ from work, because later I have to pick up my daughter.

Exercise 2: Multiple Choice

Instruction: Choose the correct option with the gerund.

1.
Error: "planear" does not form the gerund with "-iendo"; it must be "planeando".
Intentional error: the repeated spelling is the same as the correct one, but in the exercise there must be only one correct option; here it is considered invalid to avoid duplicates.
2.
Intentional error: although the sentence is correct in form, it is used here as a distractor to vary positions; the teacher's correct option appears in another position.
Error: after "estar" you use the gerund; it must be "está diciendo".

Exercise 3: Rewrite the phrases

Instruction: Rewrite the sentences using the periphrasis "to be + gerund" to express an action in progress. Example: "I work now" → "I am working now."

Show/Hide translation Show/Hide hints
  1. Ahora yo creo un documento para el trabajo.
    ⇒ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Example
    Ahora estoy creando un documento para el trabajo.
    (Right now I’m creating a document for work.)
  2. En este momento nosotros esperamos al médico en la sala.
    ⇒ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Example
    En este momento estamos esperando al médico en la sala.
    (Right now we’re waiting for the doctor in the waiting room.)
  3. Hoy él vive en un piso compartido en Madrid.
    ⇒ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Example
    Hoy él está viviendo en un piso compartido en Madrid.
    (Today he’s living in a shared apartment in Madrid.)
  4. Ahora ella dice la verdad a su jefe.
    ⇒ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Example
    Ahora ella está diciendo la verdad a su jefe.
    (Right now she’s telling the truth to her boss.)

Exercise 4: Grammar in action

Instruction: Talk for two minutes and decide on a plan, explaining what is happening now.

Show/Hide translation
Situation
En la oficina, hablas con tu pareja sobre los planes familiares de este año.
(In the office, you talk with your partner about this year’s family plans.)
Discuss
  • ¿Qué estáis deseando para vuestra familia en los próximos meses? (What are you looking forward to for your family in the next few months?)
  • Ahora mismo, ¿qué estáis haciendo para formar una familia o vivir juntos? (Right now, what are you doing to start a family or live together?)
Useful words and phrases
  • Estamos viviendo juntos y creando una rutina. (We are living together and creating a routine.)
  • Estamos esperando un bebé y trabajando de canguro a veces. (We are expecting a baby and sometimes working as a babysitter.)
Use in conversation
  • estar + gerundio (estar + gerundio)
  • seguir + gerundio (seguir + gerundio)

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Alessia Calcagni

Languages for communication in international enterprises and organizations

Università degli Studi di Modena e Reggio Emilia

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Last Updated:

Thursday, 16/04/2026 08:38