Gerund and participle clauses
The gerund and the participle can form short clauses that express time, manner, cause or condition. They are common in narrative and formal writing.
| construction | meaning | example |
|---|---|---|
| gerund (manner) | by doing, while | Aprendí escuchando canciones. |
| gerund (cause) | since, as | Siendo tan tarde, mejor nos vamos. |
| gerund (condition) | if | Estudiando así, aprobarás. |
| absolute participle | once / after | Terminada la reunión, salimos. |
| una vez + participle | once | Una vez firmado el contrato, empezamos. |
Correct use of the gerund
- The gerund action must be simultaneous or earlier, not later: Estudió en Madrid, trasladándose después a Roma ✗.
- It can’t describe a noun like an adjective: una caja conteniendo libros ✗ → una caja que contiene libros ✓.
- Absolute participles agree with their noun: Terminadas las clases…
Examples
- Se ganaba la vida dando clases de piano.He earned his living giving piano lessons.
- Conociéndolo, seguro que llega tarde.Knowing him, he’s bound to be late.
- Dicho esto, pasemos al siguiente punto.That said, let’s move to the next point.
- Resuelto el problema, todos se relajaron.Once the problem was solved, everyone relaxed.
- Terminada la reunión, volvimos a casa.Once the meeting was over, we went home.
Common mistakes
- ✗ Siendo cansado, me fui.✓ Estando cansado, me fui.A temporary state takes estando. English “being tired” does not tell the learner to choose between ser and estar.
- ✗ Una caja conteniendo libros✓ Una caja que contiene librosEnglish uses -ing to describe a noun (“a box containing books”). A Spanish gerund cannot modify a noun, so a relative clause is needed.
- ✗ Terminada el trabajo, salí.✓ Terminado el trabajo, salí.The participle agrees with the noun: trabajo is masculine. English “the work finished” never changes.
- ✗ Habiendo comió, salí.✓ Habiendo comido, salí.Habiendo is followed by the participle in -ido. Comió is a preterite.
- ✗ Vi a Juan corrido.✓ Vi a Juan corriendo.To describe what someone was doing use the gerund. Corrido would mean “run” as a result.