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Italian Grammar Bank
WHAT IS ITALIAN GERUND
The infinitive and the gerund, together with the participle, are part of the indefinite modes, so called because they are not tied to specific tenses, persons or numbers, and allow us to express actions in a general way.
These verbal modes are not conjugated according to the subject, unlike finite modes.
THE ITALIAN INFINITIVE
This verbal mode expresses action in an abstract manner and not limited in time. In Italian, the infinitive can be simple (amare, temere, partire) or compound (avere amato, essere partito).
The infinitive also generically indicates an action or state, without specifying the subject.
In independent sentences it functions as a verb when expressing:
· orders or prohibitions: it is used in instructions and, as you know, to form the second person singular of the negative imperative Montare a neve le uova (Beat the eggs); Non piangere (Don’t cry);
· exclamations or doubts Averlo saputo prima! (Had I known earlier!); Che dire? (What can I say?);
· narratives and descriptions introduced by the adverb ecco Ecco il primo classificato tagliare il traguardo (Here’s the first runner across the finish line).
PATTERN
Subject + Conjugated Verb + Infinitive Verb + (Object)
In subordinate sentences, on the other hand, the present infinitive indicates a contemporary action with respect to that of the regent (Lucia dice di cantare bene, Lucia says she sings well), whereas the past infinitive an earlier fact (Lucia dice di aver cantato bene, Lucia says she sang well).
The infinitive can also be used as a noun, and in this case it is called the substantive infinitive: sometimes it is preceded by the article or by an articulated preposition. Let’s have a look at the following examples:
Preceded by article:
| Il fumare è un vizio pericoloso. | Smoking is a dangerous vice. |
| Il mangiare bene allunga la vita! | Eating well extends life! |
| Il bere troppo fa male alla salute. | Drinking too much is bad for your health. |
Preceded by preposition:
| Il talento dello scrivere va coltivato | The talent of writing should be cultivated. |
| Ti tocca offrire da mangiare! | It’s your turn to offer dinner! |
| Questa è la lista delle cose da fare. | This is the to-do list. |
Preceded by an adjective or an adverb:
| Questo chiacchierare continuamente disturba la lezione. | This constant chattering disturbs the lesson. |
| Questo dimenticarsi costantemente le cose mi dà sui nervi. | This constant forgetting stuff gets on my nerves. |
| Quell’agire ti causerà molti guai! | That acting will cause you a lot of trouble! |
Many other times though, it can just stay by itself:
| Leggere è uno dei miei hobby. | Reading is one of my hobbies. |
| Mangiare è la cosa che preferisco di più al mondo. | Eating is my favourite thing in the world. |
| Aiutare gli animali: è questa la mia missione! | Helping animals: this is my mission! |
THE GERUND
The gerund is an indefinite verbal mode that establishes a subordination relationship with the main sentence. This relationship can be of various types:
• Causal: Facendo jogging, mi sono slogata la caviglia. (Jogging, I sprained my ankle).
• Temporal (of anteriority or contemporaneity with respect to the regent sentence): Ho incontrato Paolo tornando a casa. (I met Paolo on my way home).
• Modal or instrumental: Parlandogli, ha risolto la situazione al meglio. (By talking to him, he resolved the situation as best he could).
• Concessive: Perdonandolo, non ha risolto nulla. (By forgiving him, he resolved nothing).
• Hypothetical: Ottenendo la promozione, Giovanni riceverà un premio dai suoi genitori. (By getting promoted, John will receive a reward from his parents).
THE TENSES OF THE GERUND
The gerund has two tenses as well:
• The present gerund, which is a simple tense and is used to describe actions that are contemporary with those of the main clause, like in the following examples:
| Gianni è intervenuto nel dibattito sapendo di cosa parlava. | Gianni intervened in the debate knowing what he was talking about. |
| Partendo si è dimenticato di dare da mangiare al gatto. | He forgot to feed the cat when he left. |
| Abbiamo festeggiato bevendo un buon prosecco. | We celebrated by drinking a good prosecco. |
But the present gerund and it is also widespread in periphrastic constructions (i.e. composed of several verbs that form a periphrasis) that are widely used, which express the idea of development.
For example:
| italian | english | notes |
|---|---|---|
| Paola sta mangiando. | Paola is eating. | With the use of a verb form of stare + gerund |
| La salute di Matteo va arrivando. | Matthew’s health is coming | With the use of a verb form of andare + gerund |
| Stavo facendo l’esercizio e non ho capito cosa mi andavi dicendo. | I was doing the exercise and I didn’t understand what you were telling me. | Both |
• The past gerund, which is a compound tense and is used to describe actions preceding those of the main sentence:
| Avendo studiato tutto il pomeriggio, gli è venuto mal di testa. | Having studied all afternoon, he got a headache. |
| Avendo saputo come sono andate veramente le cose, Giovanni ha deciso di agire di conseguenza. | Having learned how things really went, Giovanni decided to act accordingly. |
| Avendo finito di lavorare, penso che andrò a rilassarmi. | Having finished work, I think I’ll go and relax. |
As can be seen from all the previous examples, in the vast majority of cases there is identity of subject between the main verb and the gerund.
In cases where this does not happen, the gerund can refer to a direct object or an indirect complement, or when the gerund has its own distinct subject; in this case we speak of an “absolute gerund”.
For example: Avvicinandosi il nemico alle frontiere, tutti si preparavano ormai alla guerra. As the enemy approached the borders, everyone was now preparing for war.
Another similar case occurs when the subject of the main clause is generic, as in the proverbial phrase: Sbagliando, s’impara! By making mistakes, you learn!.
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FAQs
What difference between the gerund and the infinitive in Italian?
The gerund expresses ongoing or simultaneous actions (e.g., mangiando – eating), while the infinitive is the base form of the verb, often used to express actions in a general or abstract sense (e.g., mangiare – to eat).
When should I use the infinitive in Italian?
The infinitive is used after certain conjugated verbs (like volere – to want, dovere – to have to), after prepositions, and in sentences expressing purpose (e.g., per fare – in order to do).
How is the gerund formed in Italian?
The gerund is formed by adding -ando for -are verbs (e.g., parlando – speaking) and -endo for -ere and -ire verbs (e.g., scrivendo – writing, dormendo – sleeping).
Can gerund and infinitive be used in the same sentence?
Yes, both can appear in the same sentence when describing actions. For example: Sto cercando di finire il lavoro (I am trying to finish the work), where sto cercando (I am trying) is the gerund, and finire (to finish) is the infinitive.
What verbs that require the infinitive after?
Common verbs include volere (to want), potere (to be able to), sapere (to know how), amare (to love), and preferire (to prefer), all of which are followed by the infinitive form of the action.
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