Understanding Verbals/ Formation and Use
Verbals are words that function as a verb (showing action) AND other parts of speech.
A PARTICIPLE is a Verbal>>PART VERB/ PART ADJECTIVE.
Formation of PRESENT PARTICIPLE in Spanish:
-ar verbs>>drop -ar>>add “-ando” participial ending
-er/-ir verbs>>drop -er/-ir>>add “iendo/yendo” participial ending
In English the PRESENT participle is the “ing” form of the verb
that functions all by itself as an adjective>>modifies nouns/pron.
English Ex. “Running down the street, I fell and broke my leg.”
Spanish Ex. “Corriendo por la calle, yo caí y rompí la pierna.”
“Corriendo” shows action like the verb “correr,”
but it also modifies “yo,” acting like an adjective.
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*The present participle is used with the verb “estar” to form the:
Present Progressive Tense
Formula for Present Progressive Tense=estar+present participle of ANY VERB (Present action going on as we speak!)
Just conjugate "estar" to the person you want to do this ongoing present action and add the present participle!
EX. I am running; I cannot talk to you right now. =Estoy corriendo; no puedo hablarte ahoramismo.
Past Participles are also Verbals>> PART VERB/PART ADJECTIVE
In English, the Past Participle ends in "-ed,-t,-en,-d, etc."
In Spanish, the Past Participle is formed in -ar verbs by removing the "-ar" and adding "-ando" to the verb stem.
-er/-ir verbs by removing the -er/-ir and adding "-ido" to the verb stem.
**Irregular Past Participles do not form as explained above, but are different words altogether:
Infinitive Definition Spanish Irregular Past Participle Definition
1) abrir to open abierto opened
2) cubrir to cover cubierto covered
3) decir to say/to tell dicho said/told
4) descubrir to discover descubierto discovered
5) devolver (ue) to return (something) devuelto returned (something)
6) escribir to write escrito written
7) freír to fry frito fried
8) hacer to make/to do hecho made/did
9) morir (ue) to die muerto died
10) poner (pongo) to put, to place puesto put/placed
11) ver to see visto seen
12) volver (ue) to return (to a place) vuelto returned (to a place)
USING THE PAST PARTICIPLE BY ITSELF, AS AN ADJECTIVE!
English Ex. "Written like a poem, the song moved me deeply."
"Written" shows action like a verb, but also functions as an adjective,
modifying "song."
** Spanish Ex. Escrito como poema, ¡la canción me movió profundamente!
"Escrito" shows action like a verb, but also functions as an adjective,
modifying "la canción."
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The Past Participle is also used with the verb "haber" to form the:
Present Perfect Tense: I have spoken=He hablado
You have eaten (fam.)=Has comido
She has lived=Ella ha vivido
(See Present Perfect Tense sidebar on website.)
Past Perfect Tense: I had spoken=Había hablado
You had eaten (fam.)=Habías comido
She had lived=Ella había vivido
(See Past Perfect Tense sidebar on website.)
Future Perfect Tense: I shall have spoken=Habré hablado
You will have eaten (fam.)=Habrás comido
She will have lived=Ella habrá vivido
(See Future Perfect Tense sidebar on website.)
Conditional Perfect Tense: I would have spoken=Habría hablado
You would have eaten=Habrías comida
She would have lived=Ella habría comida
(See Conditional Perfect Tense sidebar on website.)
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A GERUND is also a VERBAL>>PART VERB/PART NOUN
FORMATION of the GERUND in Spanish:
GOOD NEWS! In Spanish the GERUND is the INFINITIVE of any Spanish verb!
YOU ALREADY KNOW IT!!
In English, the GERUND is ALSO the “ing” form of the verb that can function all by itself,
USED IN THE SENTENCE JUST LIKE ANY USE OF A NOUN:
subject, appositive, direct object, indirect object, object of the preposition, predicate noun
English Ex. “Running is my favorite pastime.”
“Running” shows action like a verb,
but it also functions as the subject of the sentence, just like a noun function.
Spanish Ex. “Correr es mi pasatiempo favorito.”=Running is my favorite pastime.
"Correr” shows action like a verb,
but it also serves as the subject of this sentence, acting like a noun.