Breakdown of Venimos integrando palabras nuevas gradualmente.
nuevo
new
venir
to come
la palabra
the word
gradualmente
gradually
integrar
to integrate
Questions & Answers about Venimos integrando palabras nuevas gradualmente.
Why does this sentence use venimos integrando instead of hemos estado integrando to mean "we have been integrating"?
While hemos estado integrando (present perfect continuous) is perfectly correct, using the combination of venir + gerund (venimos integrando) specifically highlights that an action started in the past and has been steadily progressing, accumulating, or building up step-by-step to the present moment. It paints a more vivid picture of an ongoing, gradual effort.
If this lesson covers both ir and venir with a gerund, could we use vamos integrando here instead?
Yes, but it would change the focus of the timeline. Venimos integrando looks from the past to the present: we started previously and have been doing it up to now. If you said vamos integrando, it looks from the present into the future: it means "we are currently integrating (little by little)" and implies the step-by-step process is moving forward.
Could I place gradualmente immediately after the verbs, like "Venimos integrando gradualmente palabras nuevas"?
Yes, you can. Adverbs ending in -mente are quite flexible in Spanish. Putting gradualmente right after the verb places a bit more emphasis on the gradual nature of the action. However, placing it at the very end of the sentence (as shown here) is extremely common and natural, as it doesn't interrupt the core verb-object pair of integrando palabras nuevas.
Why is it palabras nuevas and not nuevas palabras? Does the adjective placement matter here?
Yes, the placement slightly shifts the nuance, which is a common feature of the adjective nuevo. Placing it after the noun (palabras nuevas) usually means the words are objectively new—such as newly coined words or brand-new vocabulary to the language. Placing it before the noun (nuevas palabras) usually just means "additional words" or "new to us," even if they have existed in the dictionary forever. Both work here depending on exactly what you mean, but palabras nuevas is the standard, neutral way to refer to new vocabulary.
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