Verbs that Drop the ‘e’ Before Adding -yendo in the Gerund

In Spanish, certain verbs undergo a spelling change when forming the gerund (present participle). One common change occurs with verbs ending in -uir, where the ‘e’ is dropped before adding the -yendo ending. This article explores this rule and provides examples for better understanding.

The Rule

For verbs ending in -uir, drop the ‘e’ and add -yendo to form the gerund.

Common Examples

1. Huir (to flee) → huyendo
2. Construir (to build) → construyendo
3. Concluir (to conclude) → concluyendo
4. Distribuir (to distribute) → distribuyendo
5. Incluir (to include) → incluyendo
6. Sustituir (to substitute) → sustituyendo
7. Contribuir (to contribute) → contribuyendo
8. Disminuir (to decrease) → disminuyendo
9. Instituir (to institute) → instituyendo
10. Retribuir (to remunerate) → retribuyendo

Explanation

This change occurs to maintain the pronunciation of the ‘u’ sound in the verb stem. By dropping the ‘e’ and adding ‘y’, the ‘u’ retains its original sound rather than forming a diphthong with the following ‘e’.

Exceptions

It’s important to note that not all verbs ending in -uir follow this rule. For example:

• Seguir (to follow) → siguiendo (changes ‘e’ to ‘i’ instead of dropping ‘e’)
• Conseguir (to achieve) → consiguiendo

Usage in Context

1. “Estoy huyendo de mis responsabilidades.” (I am fleeing from my responsibilities.)
2. “Están construyendo un nuevo edificio en el centro.” (They are building a new building downtown.)
3. “El proyecto está concluyendo esta semana.” (The project is concluding this week.)

Understanding this rule helps Spanish learners use these verbs correctly in their gerund form, which is essential for expressing ongoing actions in the present tense.