French Grammar
Tenses & Moods
15 articlesVerb Groups
4 articlesVerb Forms
4 articlesGrammar Structures
4 articlesGérondif présentB1Present Gerund
The present gerund (gérondif) is formed with en + present participle to describe simultaneous actions, manner, or means, often equivalent to English "while" or "by" + -ing.
The gérondif is used to indicate actions happening at the same time as the main verb, the manner of an action, or the means by which it occurs.
- Je travaille en écoutant de la musique
- While working, I listen to music
It is invariable, not agreeing in gender or number with the subject.
It’s common in formal or written French, especially in professional or descriptive contexts.
Formation of Present Gerund
The gérondif is formed by adding en to the present participle.
The present participle is formed by taking the nous form of the present tense, removing the -ons ending, and adding -ant.
See here for more information about the Present Participle.
Irregular forms
| Gérondif | Translation |
|---|---|
| en étant | while being |
| en ayant | while having |
| en sachant | while knowing |
Examples
- En étant plus âgé que toi, je vois la vie différement.
- Being older than you, I see life differently.
Regular forms
| Gérondif Form | Translation |
|---|---|
| en parlant | while speaking |
| en finissant | while finishing |
| en vendant | while selling |
| en voyant | while seeing |
| en faisant | while doing/making |
| en prenant | while taking |
Examples
- En lisant le contrat, j’ai trouvé une erreur.
- While reading the contract, I found an error.