Going Around Doing Something: Andar + Gerund
To express an action that is ongoing but happens in a wandering, intermittent, or diffuse way, Spanish pairs the verb andar (to walk / to go) with a gerund (the -ando or -iendo form of a verb).
This structure translates closely to the English "to go around doing something."
| My son goes around playing with his bucket and his rake. | Mi hijo anda jugando con su balde y su rastrillo. |
| Why do you go around making a moat with my rake? | ¿Por qué andas haciendo un foso con mi rastrillo? |
| They go around molding and compacting the ramparts. | Ellos andan moldeando y compactando las murallas. |
Just like with other progressive structures, object pronouns can be attached directly to the end of the gerund. When you attach a pronoun to a gerund, remember to add an accent mark to maintain the word's natural stress.
| Since the sand is dry, I go around dampening it with the bucket. | Como la arena está seca, ando humedeciéndola con el balde. |
| That castle is detailed, that's why he goes around sculpting it carefully. | Ese castillo es detallado, por eso anda esculpiéndolo con cuidado. |
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