gérondif

French

Etymology

From Latin gerundīvus (“of a gerund”), from gerundium (“gerund”), from gerundus (“which is to be carried out”), future passive participle (gerundive) of gerō (“carry, bear”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʒe.ʁɔ̃.dif/

• Audio:

  (file)

Noun

Examples (French gérondifs)
Je l'ai découvert en cherchant quelque chose d'autre. I discovered it while looking for something else. C'est en forgeant qu'on devient forgeron. (proverb) It's by forging that one becomes a blacksmith. (That is, practice makes perfect.)

gérondif m (plural gérondifs)

1. (grammar) a syntactical construction of French composed of the present participle preceded with the preposition en, used to express simultaneity or manner; an adverbial participle
2. a Latin gerundive, a verbal adjective expressing necessity
3. an English gerund

Adjective

gérondif (feminine gérondive, masculine plural gérondifs, feminine plural gérondives)

1. (relational) gerund

Usage notes

• Although gerund is often translated in French by gérondif, the gérondif is not an actual conjugated form, and serves different syntactical uses. Calling the gérondif a gerund may create confusion.

Further reading

• “gérondif”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.