Le Gérondif — en + -ant | French Grammar
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EN + -ant — doing two things at once. This guide explains Le Gérondif in French with clear rules, real examples and practice for every CEFR level. For instance: « nous parl-ons » — en parlant.
Le Gérondif
EN + -ant — doing two things at once
1. La formation
| Verbe | Nous… | Gérondif |
|---|---|---|
| parler | nous parl-ons | en parlant |
| finir | nous finiss-ons | en finissant |
| faire | nous fais-ons | en faisant |
| Irréguliers (3 !) | — | en étant · en ayant · en sachant |
2. Les trois sens
| Sens | Exemple | Traduction |
|---|---|---|
| simultanéité (while) | Je travaille en écoutant de la musique. | …while listening to music. |
| manière / moyen (by) | Il a appris en pratiquant tous les jours. | …by practising every day. |
| condition (if) | En partant maintenant, tu auras ton train. | If you leave now… |
3. Gérondif vs participe présent
| Forme | Règle | Exemple |
|---|---|---|
| en + -ant | same subject for both actions | Elle chante en dansant. (SHE sings & dances) |
| -ant seul | describes a noun, like a relative clause | Je cherche une personne parlant chinois. (= qui parle) |
💡 Astuce anglophone
English -ing has MANY jobs ; the gérondif covers only “while/by doing”. “I like swimming” = j’aime nager (infinitive !), never « j’aime en nageant ».
The subject rule protects you from comedy : « J’ai vu le chien en sortant » means YOU were going out — not the dog.
Reinforce with tout : tout en travaillant = all while working (often with contrast).
📚 Free French lessons at learnfrench.co
🔊 Example sentences
✍️ Practice
(travailler) → en ___ (nous-stem + -ant)
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travaillant
(être) → en ___ (one of the 3 irregulars)
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étant
“I like reading” → j’aime ___ (lire) (not the gérondif!)
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lire
(finir) → en ___ (-iss- stem)
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finissant
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🎯 More practice — translation — put it into French
Translate into French: « I learn French by watching series. » (translation)
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J’apprends le français en regardant des séries.
Translate into French: « She fell while going down the stairs. » (translation)
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Elle est tombée en descendant l’escalier.
Translate into French: « By booking early, you pay less. » (translation)
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En réservant tôt, on paie moins cher.
Go further: get the full picture in our guide DELF B2 — a realistic study plan that works.
Le Gérondif in French — FAQ
How do you use Le Gérondif in French?
EN + -ant — doing two things at once. Follow the rules and patterns in the lesson above, and practise with real sentences like « nous parl-ons » (en parlant).
Can you give an example of Le Gérondif in French?
Yes — « nous parl-ons » means « en parlant », and « nous finiss-ons » means « en finissant ». The lesson above has many more examples with explanations.
What CEFR level is Le Gérondif?
This topic is introduced around B2 and refined at higher levels — pick your level from the links at the top of the page. You can also drill it with the interactive exercises and games below.
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🎬 The 20-second version
5 quick questions on « Le Gérondif » — guess before the reveal. Practise with the free games → Open this short as a page — transcript included →