Teaching guidelines +/- 15 minutes

Explore el uso de los verbos "llevar" y "seguir" con gerundio para expresar acciones continuas en el tiempo, como en "Llevo pensando" y "Sigues viviendo".
  1. We use 'llevar' to indicate the duration of an action.
  2. We use seguir to show actions that continue
  3. Formation of the gerund: verbs that end in -ar --> ando and verbs that end in -er/-ir --> iendo
Persona (Person)Verbo auxiliar (Auxiliary verb)Ejemplo (Example)
Yo (I)Llevo / SigoLlevo pensando en mi jubilación desde enero. (I have been thinking about my retirement since January.)
(You)Llevas / SiguesSigues viviendo con tranquilidad desde que te jubilaste. (You continue living peacefully since you retired.)
Él/Ella (He/She)Lleva / SigueÉlla sigue aprovechando el tiempo libre al máximo. (She continues making the most of her free time.)
Nosotros/as (We)Llevamos / SeguimosLlevamos cuidando de nuestra salud muchos años. (We have been taking care of our health for many years.)
Vosotros/as (You)Lleváis / SeguísSeguís organizando actividades para jubilados. (You keep organising activities for retirees.)
Ellos/as (They)Llevan / SiguenLlevan planeando viajes desde el retiro. (They have been planning trips since retirement.)

Exceptions!

  1. A word can be added between the verb and the gerund, such as a time adverb or a noun. For example: Llevo meses siendo retirado.

Exercise 1: Los verbos "Llevar/Seguir" + Gerundio

Instruction: Fill in the correct word.

Show translation Show answers

llevo corriendo, aprendiendo, Llevo, lleváis disfrutando, llevo trabajando, soñando, lleva, Sigo haciendo, seguimos buscando, seguimos viajando

1. Seguir + hacer (yo):
Nada ha cambiado. ... lo mismo.
(Nothing has changed. I am still doing the same thing.)
2. Llevar + trabajando:
Yo ... en esta empresa por 30 años.
(I have been working in this company for 30 years.)
3. Seguir + viajando:
Nosotros ... por el mundo después de la jubilación.
(We keep travelling around the world after retirement.)
4. Llevar + disfrutando:
Vosotros ... de las vacaciones todo el mes.
(You have been enjoying the holidays all month.)
5. Llevar + corriendo:
Yo ... 5 kilómetros todos los días.
(I have been running 5 kilometres every day.)
6. Llevar + soñar:
... años ... con tener más tiempo libre.
(I have been dreaming for years of having more free time.)
7. Seguir + buscando:
Nosotros ... una casa para mudarnos.
(We are still looking for a house to move into.)
8. Llevar + aprender:
Él ... años ... español.
(He has been learning Spanish for years.)

Exercise 2: Multiple Choice

Instruction: Choose the correct sentence that properly uses the verbs 'llevar' or 'seguir' + gerund to express actions that continue over time.

1.
Error in verb formation: after 'llevar' a gerund must be used, not an infinitive.
Error: 'para' should not be used between 'seguir' and the gerund; 'aprendiendo' should be used without 'para'.
2.
Error: after 'seguir' a gerund ('disfrutando') must be used, not a participle ('disfrutado').
Error: 'para' is not used between 'llevar' and the gerund.
3.
Error: after 'llevar' the gerund must be used, not the infinitive.
Error: 'para' should not be used between 'seguir' and the gerund.
4.
Error: gerund ('organizando') must be used, not participle ('organizado').
Error: no preposition is used between 'seguir' and the gerund.

Understanding the Verbs "Llevar" and "Seguir" + Gerund in Spanish

This lesson focuses on how to use the verbs llevar and seguir together with the gerund form to talk about actions that continue over time. Both verbs combined with the gerund express ongoing activities, but they have distinct uses that help specify different aspects of the action.

"Llevar" + Gerund: Expressing Duration

Llevar is used to indicate how long an action has been happening. It focuses on the duration of a continuous activity. When you say, for example, Llevo pensando en mi jubilación desde enero, you are saying that you have been thinking about your retirement since January.

"Seguir" + Gerund: Indicating Continuation

Seguir emphasizes that an action continues without interruption. For instance, Sigues viviendo con tranquilidad desde que te jubilaste means you continue living peacefully since you retired.

Formation of the Gerund

  • Verbs ending in -ar form the gerund by adding -ando. Example: cuidar – cuidando.
  • Verbs ending in -er or -ir form the gerund by adding -iendo. Example: aprovechar – aprovechando, vivir – viviendo.

You can insert a word, such as a time adverb or a noun, between the auxiliary verb and the gerund. For example: Llevo meses siendo retirado.

Examples by Person

PersonAuxiliary VerbExample
I (Yo)Llevo / SigoLlevo pensando en mi jubilación desde enero.
You (Tú)Llevas / SiguesSigues viviendo con tranquilidad desde que te jubilaste.
He/She (Él/Ella)Lleva / SigueÉlla sigue aprovechando el tiempo libre al máximo.
We (Nosotros/as)Llevamos / SeguimosLlevamos cuidando de nuestra salud muchos años.
You all (Vosotros/as)Lleváis / SeguísSeguís organizando actividades para jubilados.
They (Ellos/as)Llevan / SiguenLlevan planeando viajes desde el retiro.

Key Points to Remember

  • Use llevar + gerund to express how long something has been happening.
  • Use seguir + gerund to express that an action continues in the present.
  • Gerunds vary depending on verb endings: -ando for -ar verbs, -iendo for -er/-ir verbs.
  • An optional word like an adverb of time can be inserted between llevar/seguir and the gerund.

Practical Tips and Useful Words

Common gerunds you will encounter:

  • pensando (thinking)
  • viviendo (living)
  • aprovechando (taking advantage)
  • cuidando (taking care)
  • organizando (organizing)
  • planeando (planning)

Comparing Spanish and English Usage

In English, continuous actions over time are often expressed with the present perfect continuous tense, for example: "I have been thinking about my retirement since January." In Spanish, this duration or continuity is expressed with llevar or seguir plus the gerund instead. Also, unlike English, Spanish allows insertion of additional words between the auxiliary verb and the gerund, such as time expressions.

Useful phrases to remember:

  • Llevar + gerundio = "to have been (doing) something for a period of time"
  • Seguir + gerundio = "to continue (doing) something"

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