Gerunds and Progressive Tenses

Question 1

Creating simple (present) gerunds

Answer 1

(1) ARE verbs: delete are, and add “ando”. (2) ERE and IRE verbs: delete ere or ire, and add “endo’. E.g., parlando, credendo, finendo (3) means “doing somethjing (4) indicates an action contemporaneous with the verb in the main clause.

Question 2

Creating (composite) past gerunds

Answer 2

(1) avendo or essendo + past participle, e.g., avendo mangiato, essendo andato. (2) means “having done” something (3) indicates an action before the verb in the main clause..

Question 3

Use of gerunds alone

Answer 3

(1) In dependent clauses when the subjects of the dependent and main clauses are the same.
(2) Gerunds in the dependent clause express:
(a) manner of doing the verb in the main clause.
(b) causal relationship – because of the gerund, the action in the main clause happens.
(c) a condition of the action in the main clause (replacing the “se” clause, but meaning “if” this happens or has happened).
(d) a temporal relationship with the action in the main clause (replacing “quando” or “mentre”, but meaning “while” or “when” this is or was happening).
(e) a concession (always preceded by “pur – “despite”).

Question 4

4 common irregular gerunds

Answer 4

bevendo, dando, dicendo, facendo

Question 5

Present Progressive Conjugation

Answer 5

Present gerund + conjugated present indicative form of stare: sto, stai, sta, stiamo state, stanno.
E.g., sto parlando
stai vivendo
sta finendo
stiamo mangiando
state leggendo
stanno dicendo

Question 6

Uses of present progressive

Answer 6

(1) Emphasizes that an action is going on right now, in the present (often used with mentre, adesso, ora, in questo momento). (2) Main use is to express than an ongoing present action is occurring as I speak, or that while the action is or was occurring, something else happens or happened.

Question 7

Past Progressive Conjugation

Answer 7

Add the gerund to the conjugated imperfetto form of stare: stavo, stavi, stava, stavamo, stavate, stavano.
E.g. stavo parlando
stavi vivendo
stava finendo
stavamo mangiando
state leggendo
stavano dicendo

Question 8

Use of past progressive

Answer 8

(1) To express an ongoing continuous action in the past (similar to imperfetto). (2) Usually used to express an ongoing past action that was interrupted by another action or event. (3) formula: mentre/quando + past progressive, + passato prossimo.

Question 9

Because I eat too much, I get fat.

Answer 9

Mangiando troppo, ingrassi.

Question 10

Not having understood the question, I could not answer.

Answer 10

Non avendo capito la domanda, non ho potuto rispondere.

Question 11

Because Maria had a fever, she did not go out for days.

Answer 11

Avendo avuto la febbre, Maria no è uscita per giorni.

Question 12

He crossed the river swimming.

Answer 12

Ha attraversato il fiume nuotando.

Question 13

He held up his morale singing.

Answer 13

Si tiene su di morale cantando.

Question 14

While taking a shower, Maria thinks about her past experiences.

Answer 14

Facendo la doccia, Maria pensa alle sue esperienze passate.

Question 15

While talking to him, I persuaded him.

Answer 15

Parlandogli, l’ho persuaso.

Question 16

When reading, I ate an apple.

Answer 16

Leggendo, ho mangiato una mela

Question 17

While eating dinner, they were talking.

Answer 17

Cenando, parlavano.

Question 18

Listening to the advice of those who have more experience, one goes far.

Answer 18

Ascoltando i consigli di chi ha più esperienza, si arriva lontano.

Question 19

While bicycle riding, I met Paolo.

Answer 19

Andando in bici, ho incontrato Paolo.

Question 20

Despite not being hungry, I ate.

Answer 20

Pur non avendo fame, ho mangiato.

Question 21

Despite being young, he understood everything.

Answer 21

Pur essendo piccolo, lui capisce tutto.

Question 22

Despite having promised to come, he is not here yet.

Answer 22

Pur avendo promesso di venire, non è ancora qui.

Question 23

Grammar note: compare present participle

Answer 23

(1) present participle (ending in “ing” in English): a verb made into an adjective, and sometimes a noun. (2) verb stem + ante (are verbs), ente (ere verbs) ente (ire verbs). (3) stelle cadenti, acqua bollente, vestiti pesanti

Question 24

Grammar note: gerund never a noun

Answer 24

(1) Unlike English, a gerund in Italian is never a noun. (2) For a verb to be used as a noun (ending in “ing” in English), use the Italian infinitve. (3) Think “to do” something as the noun, rather than “doing” something.

Question 25

Learning [to learn] a language well is not easy.

Answer 25

Imparare bene una lengua non è facile.

Question 26

Do you prefer singing to dancing [to sing or to dance]?

Answer 26

Preferisci cantare o ballare?

Question 27

Grammar note: present progressive with andare

Answer 27

Andare + gerund expresses an action that began at an indefinite time in the past and is continuing into an indefinite time in the future. Think “goes” doing something, or “goes on” doing something.

Question 28

Paolo’s saying [goes saying] that his fiancé betrayed him.

Answer 28

Paolo va dicendo che la sua fidanzata lo tradira.

Question 29

What is a gerund in Italian?

Answer 29

Not a verb or a noun. It is a mode or manner of verb that expresses an action without conjugation (though it has a subject). Two types: simple and composite.

Question 30

At this moment, my sister is reading.

Answer 30

In questo momento, mia sorella sta leggendo.

Question 31

I’m reading now, so I can’t come.

Answer 31

Sto leggendo ora, cosi non posso venire.

Question 32

The guys were coming out of the restaurant when the girls stopped them.

Answer 32

I raggazi stanno uscendo dal ristoranti quando le ragazze li hanno fermati