Gerund (en + -ant)

The gerund (le gérondif) is en + present participle. It describes an action happening at the same time as the main verb, or the way or means by which something is done.

To form the participle, take the nous form of the present tense, drop -ons and add -ant:

• nous parlons → parlant
• nous finissons → finissant
• nous prenons → prenant
• nous mangeons → mangeant, nous commençons → commençant

Only three verbs are irregular: être → étant, avoir → ayant, savoir → sachant.

The gerund always has the same subject as the main verb: Il chante en prenant sa douche. (He sings while taking a shower.) Tu progresseras en étant patient. (You'll make progress by being patient.) Tout en stresses that two actions happen together, often with a contrast.