Italian grammar · Upper intermediate (B2)
The gerundio and participle phrases
How to use the Italian gerund and the past participle on their own to replace a whole clause, especially in formal writing.
The forms
The simple gerund ends in -ando (-are verbs) or -endo (-ere and -ire verbs): . A few verbs use an old stem: → , → , → . The compound gerund is or + the past participle: , .
Pronouns join the end of the gerund: (seeing him), (having told him).
What the gerund can mean
On its own, a gerund can replace a clause with , , , or . The simple gerund is for the same time, the compound one for something that happened before. Its subject should normally be the same as the subject of the main verb.
| Meaning | Example | English |
|---|---|---|
| cause | As I was tired, I stayed at home. | |
| time | On my way home, I met Marco. | |
| means | You learn by making mistakes. | |
| condition | If you take the train, you get there sooner. | |
| concession, with | Although he was in a hurry, he stopped. |
Participle phrases
A past participle on its own can replace + a verb, especially in writing: (Having got home, I switched on the light). With verbs that take , it agrees with the subject; with verbs that take , it agrees with the object: (Once the meeting was over, we left).
Some participles have become fixed formal expressions: (given the delay), (seeing that), (once payment has been received). In speech, + participle is more common: .
- Ricevuta la Sua e-mail, abbiamo controllato subito.Having received your email, we checked straight away.
- Non avendo ricevuto risposta, Vi scrivo di nuovo.As I have not received a reply, I am writing to you again.