BAST SPANISH Free language learning resources.
© Samuel Haldane 2005-2006
BAST Home Verbmaster Spanish English
Castilian Spanish Verbs:
Lesson 3: Participles

The active participle (sometimes called the gerund) adds -ndo after the stem vowel. With e-verbs, this changes the stem vowel from e to ie:

Infinitive Stem Active participle
esperar 'to wait', 'to await' esper-a- esperando 'waiting', 'awaiting'
preguntar 'to ask' pregunt-a- preguntando 'asking'
cantar 'to sing' cant-a- cantando 'singing'
beber 'to drink' beb-e- bebiendo 'drinking'
correr 'to run' corr-e- corriendo 'running'
aprender 'to learn' aprend-e- aprendiendo 'learning'

The active participle is used as the English active participle in -ing:

Manuel está cantando 'Manuel is singing'
un hombre corriendo 'a running man'

The perfect/passive participle adds -do after the stem vowel. With e-verbs, this changes the stem vowel from e to i:

Infinitive Stem Perfect/passive participle
esperar 'to await' esper-a- esperado 'awaited'
preguntar 'to ask' pregunt-a- preguntado 'asked'
cantar 'to sing' cant-a- cantado 'sung'
beber 'to drink' beb-e- bebido 'drunk'
correr 'to run' corr-e- corrido 'run'
aprender 'to learn' aprend-e- aprendido 'learnt'

This participle is used as the English perfect/passive participle:

he bebido el café 'I have drunk the coffee'
la decisión esperada 'the awaited decision'

Hosted by www.Geocities.ws

1