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Él distribuye el inventario manejando el montacargas.

Él distribuye el inventario manejando el montacargas.
He distributes the inventory by driving the forklift.
From Lesson 294:Adverbial gerunds·Spanish (Latin America)

Questions & Answers about Él distribuye el inventario manejando el montacargas.

Why isn't there a word for 'by' before manejando?
In English, we say 'by driving' to explain the method used. In Spanish, you simply use the gerund (the -ando or -iendo form) on its own to show how something is done. You do not need a preposition like por or con; manejando covers the whole meaning of 'by driving' here.
Why is it spelled distribuye with a 'y' if the infinitive is distribuir?
For Spanish verbs ending in -uir (like distribuir, construir, or incluir), you change the 'i' to a 'y' in the present tense for most forms to make pronunciation easier and avoid having three vowels in a row. That is why it becomes él distribuye.
Why is it el montacargas (masculine singular) if the word ends in '-s'?
Montacargas (forklift) is a compound noun made by combining a verb (monta, meaning lifts) and a plural noun (cargas, meaning loads). In Spanish, compound words made this way are almost always masculine, and they use the exact same form for both singular and plural. So, you say el montacargas for one forklift and los montacargas for several.
Could I use conduciendo instead of manejando to say 'driving'?
Yes, you can. However, in Latin America, manejar is the most common and natural verb to use for driving a vehicle. Conducir is perfectly understood but is more commonly used in Spain or in more formal contexts.

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