previousnext

13.2 formation of the gerundio 1

The gerundio, which correponds to the present participle in English and NOT to the gerund, is formed by omitting the endings of the infinitive and adding to what remains, the radical, the ending -ando (if the verbs end on -ar) or -endo (if the verbs end on -er or -ir).

formation of the gerundio

* the diphtong (two vowels in one syllable) becomes o.

The numerous verbs on -rre (tradurre, condurre, produrre, etc.) are irregular.

verbs on -urre

Infinitive	translation	radical	ending
tradurre	to translate	tradu	cendo
condurre	to steer	condu
produrre	to produce	produ
dire	to say	di
fare	to make	fa

Beside the possibility to substitute a subordinate clause, the present participle can be used as well as a modicative adverbial adjunct. The Italian gerund can be as well a modicative adverbial adjunct.

examples

a) Sorridendo mi guardava.

Laughing she looked at me.

b) Piangendo mi raccontò tutta la storia.

Crying she told mit the whole story.

c) Gridando entrò nella stanza.

Crying she entered the door.

d) Ridendo mi disse che non mi amava più.

Laughing she told me that she doesn' t love me any more.

e) Scusandosi va via.

Apoligizing himself he went away.

f) Mi guarderà negli occhi chiedendo un'altra volta la stessa sciocchezza.

He will look me in the eyes asking me once again the same sillyness.

The gerundio presente, the type of gerundio we have seen in the table above, describes the event / action of the gerund as something happening at the same time as the action / event described by the finite verb (the verb of the main sentence). If the verb stands in a tense of the past (a / b / c / d) than the gerundio is in the past as well. If the verb of the main sentence is in a tense of the present, the gerundio is anchored in the present as well and if the finite verb is in the future, the gerundio is in the future as well.

If we look at the kind of subordinate clause which can be substituted by a present participle / gerundio it is obvious that there must be as well a possibility to describe the events / actions of the gerund as something having happened before the events / actions described by the main verb. If we look at the examples below we see that very often there is a need to express anteriority.

if clause
anteriority:	If he had saved money, he could by a car now. => Having spared money, he could buy a car now.
simultanity:	If he spares money, he can buy a car. => Saving money, he can buy a car. .
concessive clause
anteriority:	Although he had earned a lot of money, he is not happy. => Having earned a lot of money, he is not happy.
simultanity:	Although he earns a lot of money, he is not happy. => Earning a lot of money, he is not happy.
causal clause
simultanity:	Because he is lazy, he doesn' t pass the exam. => Being lazy he doesn't pass the exam.
anteriority:	Because he was lazy, he doesn' t pass the exam. => Having been lazy, he doesn' t pass the exam.

As it is shown by this examples there is a need for a present participle / gerundio able to express anteriority. The formation is very simple, it works as in English. We use the present participle / gerundio of the auxiliary verb (having / avendo) and we add the past participle.

avendo	comprato (bought)
	mangiato (eaten)
	saputo (known)
	preso (taken)
	messo (put)
	detto (said)
	chiesto (asked)

verbs conjugated with avere

gerundio of avere   +

participio passato

It works the same way with the verbs conjugated with essere: essendo andato <=> having gone.


previousnext

contact privacy statement imprint