Le Gérondif — En parlant, en faisant
Form the gérondif (en + present participle from the nous stem) and use it to express simultaneous actions (while doing), manner (by doing), and condition (if/when doing). Note the three irregular participles: étant, ayant, sachant.
A lesson of French B1 — Intermediate, in Grammaire Complexe, about 10 minutes.
By the end of this lesson, you will form the gérondif and use it to express simultaneous actions, manner, and condition.
What Is the Gérondif?
The gérondif is formed with en + present participle. It is equivalent to English "by doing" or "while doing" — expressing that two actions happen at the same time or that one action specifies how another is done.
Elle écoute de la musique en courant. — She listens to music while running. Il a appris le français en regardant des films. — He learned French by watching films.
Formation: Three Steps
- Take the nous form of the present tense.
- Drop the -ons.
- Add -ant.
| Infinitive | Nous form | Stem | Gérondif |
|---|---|---|---|
| parler | parlons | parl- | parlant |
| finir | finissons | finiss- | finissant |
| attendre | attendons | attend- | attendant |
| manger | mangeons | mange- | mangeant |
| commencer | commençons | commenc- | commençant |
Precede the present participle with en: en parlant, en finissant, en attendant.
Irregular Present Participles
Three verbs are fully irregular:
| Infinitive | Present participle |
|---|---|
| être | étant |
| avoir | ayant |
| savoir |