Using the gerund as a command

Question 1

In colloquial Spanish, the gerund is often used to express

Answer 1

a command that indicates the start of a process. It is mainly used with specific verbs; the most common verbs are “andar”, “caminar”, “circular”, “marchar”.

Question 2

It is very common in bars and restaurants to hear the waiter say ¡Marchando! after taking a customer’s order

Answer 2

as a way of letting the kitchen know that they need to start preparing that particular order. For example, a customer says:

Me pone dos cervezas y dos tapas de calamares, por favor.
Can I have two beers and two squid tapas, please?

The person taking their order can reply to both the customer and Antonio in the kitchen:

¡Marchando, dos cervezas y dos tapas de calamares, Antonio!
Coming up, two beers and two squid tapas, Antonio!

Question 3

It is also common to use the gerund in a stronger command, with a threatening tone and an expectation that the action in question must be done immediately, using this construction:

Answer 3

ya + estar + gerund
For example:

¡Ya estás largándote de aquí, caradura!
Clear off right now, you’re shameless!
¡Ya estás devolviendo el dinero que cogiste!
Give back the money you took!
There is a colloquial set phrase in Spanish, indicating to get on with things, to move on:

¡Andando que es gerundio!
Let’s move on!

¡Arreando que es gerundio!
Let’s move on!
This is used in any context to express the desire to keep things moving.