Avoiding the Gerund for Later Events

Level 6

In careful Galician, a gerund should not describe an event that happens after the main verb. Write Chocou contra un muro e morreu no acto, not Chocou contra un muro, morrendo no acto.

How It Works

What a gerund can do

A gerund depends on the main verb. It describes an action that happens at the same time (Saíu correndo, he ran out) or just before, often as a cause (Vendo que chovía, colleu o paraugas, seeing that it was raining, she took the umbrella). See gerund clauses for more uses.

What to avoid

A gerund that tells what happened next is called a xerundio de posterioridade. Style guides for Galician treat it as a mistake:

  • Chocou contra un muro, morrendo no acto. The death comes after the crash.
  • Estudou medicina, traballando despois en Vigo. The job comes after the studies.

How to fix it

  • Join a second verb with e: Chocou contra un muro e morreu no acto.
  • Or write two sentences: Estudou medicina. Despois traballou en Vigo.

Where it appears. This mistake is most common in news reports and official writing, where it makes sentences long and unclear. The same advice applies to a gerund that states a result: write Rompeu o vaso e verteu toda a auga rather than Rompeu o vaso, vertendo toda a auga.

Examples (6)

  1. Chocou contra un muro e morreu no acto.

    He crashed into a wall and died instantly.

    The later event gets its own verb, joined with e.

  2. Estudou medicina e despois traballou en Vigo.

    She studied medicine and then worked in Vigo.

  3. A empresa perdeu moito ese ano e pechou ao seguinte.

    The company lost a lot that year and closed the following year.

    Pechou happens later, so it is not a gerund.

  4. Saíu da casa correndo.

    He ran out of the house.

    A correct gerund: running happens at the same time as leaving.

  5. Vendo que chovía, colleu o paraugas.

    Seeing that it was raining, she took the umbrella.

    A correct gerund: seeing the rain comes first and is the cause.

  6. Rompeu o vaso e verteu toda a auga.

    He broke the glass and spilled all the water.

    The result is expressed with a second verb.

Common Mistakes

  • Using a gerund for an event that happens afterwards.

    Chocou contra un muro, morrendo no acto.
    Chocou contra un muro e morreu no acto.

    The death comes after the crash, so it needs its own conjugated verb.

  • Adding the next step of a story with a gerund.

    Estudou medicina, traballando despois en Vigo.
    Estudou medicina e despois traballou en Vigo.

    Despois shows that the job is later. Use a conjugated verb for it.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

Avoiding the Gerund for Later EventsLevel 6

Learn This First

A gerund should not be used to narrate a separate later event in the careful style taught here.