Translating English -ing Words to Spanish

If youre translating an English -ing word into Spanish, youll find it helpful to first figure out which part of speech it is. You may think of -ing words as verbs. But they can also  be a noun, adjectives, or adverbs. If you can tell which part of speech an -ing word is, youre well on your way to translating it to Spanish. With that principle in mind, here are some of the most common ways of translating -ing words: -Ing Words as Verbs If an -ing word is functioning as a verb, it is probably being used in a progressive tense. Sentences such as I am studying and She was working are examples of using a progressive tense. In Spanish, progressive tenses are formed in much the same way as in English, by using a form of estar (to be) followed a gerund (the verb form ending in -ando or -endo). Keep in mind, however, that the progressive tenses are used more in English than in Spanish, so it may be more appropriate to use a simple tense instead. See how the following English sentences can be translated using either progressive or simple tenses: She is studying today. Està ¡ estudiando hoy. Estudia hoy.I wasnt driving a car downtown yesterday. Yo no estaba manejando un carro en el centro ayer. Yo no manejaba un carro en el centro ayer.We will be dining in your honor. Estaremos comiendo en su honor. Vamos a comer en su honor. Comeremos en su honor. -Ing Words as Nouns It is very common to translate -ing sentence subjects using the Spanish infinitive (the verb form ending in -ar, -er or -ir). However, sometimes there is a separate noun, not a word that is also a verb form, that can be used as well or instead. Sometimes, especially when the -ing word is the object of a verb, the sentence may need to be recast for translation. Seeing is believing. Ver es creer.Buying on the Internet is a simple process. Es un proceso simple el comprar por Internet.Crying doesnt do any good. Llorar no sirve de nada.Swimming is the most complete sport. La natacià ³n es el deporte mà ¡s completo. El nadar es el deporte mas completo.The meeting in London ended without an agreement. La reunià ³n acaba sin acuerdos.Theyre fatter because of eating cheap food. Son mà ¡s gordos por comer alimentos baratos.I am thinking about attending a university in the United States. Pienso asistir a una universidad en Estados Unidos.I prefer your living here. Prefiero que vivas aquà ­. -Ing Words as Adjectives When an English -ing word functions as an adjective, it can sometimes be translated as an adjectival present participle, a form ending in -ante or -ente. But where none exists, which is usually the case, some other adjective or clause must be used. It may be necessary to recast the sentence for direct translation. Soul is another way of saying person or living being. Alma es otra manera de decir persona o ser viviente.I cant hear the snoring man. No puedo oà ­r el hombre que ronca.The drink can have a calming influence. La bebida puede proporcionar una influencia calmante.I dont have her forwarding address. No tengo su nueva direccià ³n para reenvà ­o de correo.She is a very loving person. Es una persona muy carià ±osa. Es una persona que ama mucho.There are many people wanting to earn more money. Hay mucha gente que quiera ganar mà ¡s dinero. -Ing Words As Adverbs The Spanish gerund can be used as an adverb much the same way it can be in English. The princess went away singing because she felt happy. La princesa se fue cantando porque se sentà ­a feliz.He studied, thinking about her. Él estudiaba pensando en ella. Imported Terms Although their practice is criticized by purists, many Spanish speakers have adopted a few English -ing words outright, making them Spanish nouns. Examples include jogging, marketing and camping. Note, however, that these words often change in meaning once they are adopted into the language. Camping, for example, can be synonymous with the English noun, but it also can mean a campground or campsite. Marketing is an economic activity that pursues strategies for optimizing sales. El marketing es una actividad econà ³mica que busca estrategias para optimizar las ventas.Jogging can be done anywhere. El footing se puede realizar en cualquier lugar.