The Gerund (Le Gérondif)
When you want to express that two actions are happening at the same time ("while doing"), or explain the method used to achieve something ("by doing"), you use the gerund.
In French, the gerund is formed by combining the preposition en with the present participle of a verb.
Forming the Present Participle
To create the present participle (the equivalent of the English "-ing" form), take the nous form of the verb in the present tense, drop the -ons ending, and add -ant.
| Infinitive | Nous form | Present Participle | Gérondif |
|---|---|---|---|
| écouter | écoutons | écoutant | en écoutant |
| balayer | balayons | balayant | en balayant |
| faire | faisons | faisant | en faisant |
| conduire | conduisons | conduisant | en conduisant |
Explaining How Something is Done
You can use the gerund to explain how an action is accomplished. In this context, en translates to "by". The gerund often follows the main verb, but it can also be placed at the beginning of the sentence.
| By listening to a podcast, you are more efficient. | En écoutant un podcast, tu es plus efficace. |
| I save time by doing several tasks at the same time. | Je gagne du temps en faisant plusieurs tâches en même temps. |
Multitasking: Two Actions at Once
The most common use of the gerund is to show that a person is doing two things simultaneously. Here, en translates to "while". It is incredibly useful for talking about multitasking and managing daily chores.
| We do the boring tasks while listening to a podcast. | Nous faisons les tâches ennuyeuses en écoutant un podcast. |
| She sings while sweeping the kitchen. | Elle chante en balayant la cuisine. |
| He talks on the phone while driving; it is very dangerous. | Il téléphone en conduisant ; c'est très dangereux. |
Notice that the gerund always refers to the subject of the main verb. In the sentence below, it is "we" who are chatting, and "we" who are doing the dishes.
| We chat while doing the dishes. | Nous discutons en faisant la vaisselle. |
