Breakdown of Prendendo la medicina, il gonfiore va diminuendo.
prendere
to take
la medicina
the medicine
diminuire
to decrease
andare
to be gradually (doing something)
Questions & Answers about Prendendo la medicina, il gonfiore va diminuendo.
What is the difference between va diminuendo and sta diminuendo?
Both describe an ongoing action, but they have different nuances. Using stare plus a gerund like sta diminuendo simply means the action is happening right now. Using andare plus a gerund like va diminuendo emphasizes a gradual, step-by-step progression over time, which is why it translates to 'is gradually decreasing'.
Can I use andare with any gerund to mean 'gradually doing something'?
No, this structure is generally limited to verbs that naturally imply a process, a gradual change, or continuous movement over time. It works perfectly with verbs like diminuire (to decrease), migliorare (to improve), and aumentare (to increase), but it sounds unnatural with verbs that describe sudden or static actions.
The subject of the main clause is il gonfiore (the swelling), but the swelling isn't taking the medicine. Is this a grammar mistake?
In strict traditional grammar, yes. The gerund clause should normally share the same subject as the main clause. However, in everyday Italian, speakers sometimes use this 'dangling' gerund to express a general cause or condition, meaning 'by taking the medicine' in an impersonal sense. In formal writing, it would be better to rephrase it as se si prende la medicina (if one takes the medicine).
Why does the sentence use prendendo instead of a preposition plus an infinitive?