The Italian Gerund: How and When to Use -ando and -endo
Italian learners often assume the gerund works just like the English '-ing' form. It doesn't — and that's actually great news, because the Italian gerund has a narrower, more defined role that makes it easier to master once you understand it. Stop trying to use it everywhere you'd use '-ing' in English, and instead focus on the two specific jobs it actually does in Italian: the progressive and the adverbial clause.
The Italian gerund (gerundio) is formed by adding -ando to the stem of -are verbs and -endo to the stem of -ere and -ire verbs. It is invariable — it never changes for gender, number, or person. Its most common use is with the verb 'stare' to form the present progressive ('stare + gerundio'), which expresses an action happening right now.
Forming the Gerund
| Infinitive | Stem | Gerund | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| parlare | parl- | parlando | speaking |
| mangiare | mangi- | mangiando | eating |
| scrivere | scriv- | scrivendo | writing |
| leggere | legg- | leggendo | reading |
| dormire | dorm- | dormendo | sleeping |
| finire | fin- | finendo | finishing |
| fare | fac- | facendo | doing (irregular) |
| dire | dic- | dicendo | saying (irregular) |
| bere | bev- | bevendo | drinking (irregular) |
| tradurre | traduc- | traducendo | translating (irregular) |
The present progressive 'stare + gerundio' is the most frequent use. Sto mangiando means 'I am eating (right now).' It emphasises the ongoing nature of the action in this exact moment — more emphatic than the simple present. Use it when you want to stress that something is happening as you speak.
Stare + Gerundio — Present Progressive
| Italian | English |
|---|---|
| Sto studiando. | I am studying. |
| Stai leggendo un libro. | You are reading a book. |
| Sta dormendo. | He/She is sleeping. |
| Stiamo mangiando. | We are eating. |
| State lavorando? | Are you (pl.) working? |
| Stanno aspettando. | They are waiting. |
Beyond the progressive, the gerund is used as an adverbial clause — expressing how, when, why, or under what condition something happens. In this role it replaces subordinate clauses like 'mentre' (while) + verb, 'poiché' (since/because) + verb, or 'se' (if) + verb. The subject of the gerund must always be the same as the subject of the main verb.
The Gerund as an Adverbial Clause
Camminando, ho trovato un portafoglio.
While walking, I found a wallet.
Essendo stanco, sono andato a letto presto.
Being tired, I went to bed early.
Studiando ogni giorno, migliorerai velocemente.
By studying every day, you will improve quickly.
Non sapendo la risposta, ho preferito tacere.
Not knowing the answer, I preferred to stay silent.
Pur lavorando molto, non guadagna abbastanza.
Even though he works a lot, he doesn't earn enough.
The past gerund (gerundio passato) is formed with the gerund of avere or essere + past participle: avendo mangiato (having eaten), essendo arrivato (having arrived). It expresses an action completed before the action of the main verb.
Past Gerund Examples
Avendo finito i compiti, sono uscito.
Having finished my homework, I went out.
Essendo arrivata in ritardo, si è scusata.
Having arrived late, she apologised.
Avendo studiato tutta la notte, era esausto.
Having studied all night, he was exhausted.
Unlike English, Italian does NOT use the gerund after prepositions. After 'di', 'a', 'per', 'senza', 'prima di' you use the infinitive: 'Prima di mangiare' (Before eating), 'senza parlare' (without speaking), 'per capire' (in order to understand). This is a very common error for English speakers — always use the infinitive after prepositions in Italian.
Object pronouns and reflexive pronouns attach to the end of the gerund: mangiandolo (eating it), alzandosi (getting up), dicendogli (telling him). With the past gerund, they attach to the auxiliary: avendolo finito (having finished it), essendosi alzata (having got up — feminine).
When Italian uses the gerund vs when English does
Sto mangiando, ti richiamo. — I'm eating, I'll call you back.
Non 'sono bravo a cucinando'! Always infinitive after prepositions.
Mi piace leggere. — I like reading. NOT 'mi piace leggendo'.
The subject of camminando and mi sono rilassato is the same: io.
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