We already know that the gerundio in general doesn't have a subject on his own, he shares the subject with the finite verb. From this rule there are some exceptions.
| 1) |
Expressions like parlando sul serio ... (To talk about it seriously...), vedendolo cosi... (If you look at it like that...) etc., which describes the attitude of the speaker have his own subject. |
| 2) |
If the action / event described by the gerund is not really executed by someone or something (It rains) the gerund has its own, even if inexistent, subject. In sentences like "Piovendo così, nessuno a voglia di uscire" (If it rains like that, nobody want to go out) any ambiguity is excluded, the subject of the finite verb (a) cannot be the subject of the gerund (piovendo). |
| 3) |
If constructions where the direct object of the finite verb is the subject of the gerund (I saw him smoking a cigarette) are correct or not is discussed controversely. This construction is very often used in English, but not so frequent in Italian, even if it is easy to find thousands of constructions like that with google. Besides that, this type of construction is correct in Spanish and French and therefore we would say, that this type of construction is correct in Italian as well. |
| 4) |
Beside that you can find construction where the subject of the gerund is postponed to the gerund. |
