Using the Spanish gerund to say while [doing something]

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Learn about the use of the Spanish gerund to say while doing something

We use the Gerundio/Spanish present participle to say while + gerund (-ing verb). 

Read and listen to these examples:

Viajando por Andalucía aprendí mucho sobre los árabes.While travelling through Andalusia I learnt a lot about the Arabs.

Paseando por el parque, los niños cogieron muchas flores.While walking in the park, the children picked lots of flowers.

As you can see in the examples above, there is a main action that is achieved:

  • Aprendí mucho sobre los árabes

while a secondary action happens that uses the gerund (verb ending in -ando, -iendo):

  • viajando por Andalucía.

Notice how in Spanish there is no preposition before the gerund, unlike in English (which uses while). For example:

Arreglándose para la fiesta, alguién llamó a la puerta.
Mientras arreglándose para la fiesta, alguien llamó a la puerta.
While she was getting ready for the party, someone knocked on the door.

However, we could use mientras + conjugated verb without changing the meaning:

Mientras se arreglaba para la fiesta, alguien llamó a la puerta.
Arreglándose para la fiesta, alguien llamó a la puerta.
While she was getting ready for the party, someone knocked on the door.

Although these two structures are interchangeable, mientras + conjugated verb is slightly less formal.

Here are other examples:

Estudiando en la universidad, conocí al amor de mi vida.While studying at university I met the love of my life.

Haciendo unos muebles de madera me corté con la sierra.While making some wooden furniture I cut myself with the saw.

Estudiando para el exámen encontré unos apuntes perdidos.While studying for the exam I found some long-lost notes.

 See also Using Spanish conjunction al + infinitive/perfect infinitive = when doing/ because of doing [something].

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Examples and resources

Viajando por Andalucía aprendí mucho sobre los árabes.While travelling through Andalusia I learnt a lot about the Arabs.
Estudiando en la universidad, conocí al amor de mi vida.While studying at university I met the love of my life.
Paseando por el parque, los niños cogieron muchas flores.While walking in the park, the children picked lots of flowers.
Haciendo unos muebles de madera me corté con la sierra.While making some wooden furniture I cut myself with the saw.
Estudiando para el exámen encontré unos apuntes perdidos.While studying for the exam I found some long-lost notes.
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