Word
L'usanza e la credenza si vengono tramandando.
Meaning
The custom and the belief have been passed down.
Part of speech
sentence
Pronunciation
Course
Breakdown of L'usanza e la credenza si vengono tramandando.
e
and
venire
to come
si
one (impersonal)
l'usanza
the custom (f)
Questions & Answers about L'usanza e la credenza si vengono tramandando.
Why use vengono tramandando instead of stanno tramandando?
The construction venire + present gerund describes an action that develops gradually or continuously over a long period of time, often rooted in the past and continuing up to the present. Using stare + gerund would imply the action is just happening right at this exact moment, whereas venire gives a sense of historical continuity.
Why is there a si before the verb?
This is the passive si (si passivante). Tramandare means "to pass down" or "to hand down." Without the si, the sentence would mean the custom and belief are actively passing something else down. Adding si makes the phrase passive: they are being passed down.
Could the si attach to the end of tramandando instead?
Yes, you can attach the pronoun to the end of the gerund to make vengono tramandandosi. When an auxiliary or helping verb is followed by a gerund or infinitive, pronoun placement is flexible. However, placing it before the conjugated verb (si vengono tramandando) is very common and sounds perfectly natural.
The English translation uses "have been passed down", but vengono is present tense. Why?