Gerundio Passato (Past Gerund / Past Continuous)
The Gerundio Passato is used to describe an action that was completed before another action, often in subordinate clauses to indicate cause, condition, or sequence. It can also appear in more formal registers or literature, though it is less common in everyday speech.
Mood:
The Gerundio Passato is a non-finite verb form (it does not change according to person or number). It is used as an adverbial form to indicate that one action was completed before the main action.
- Form type: Non-finite (adverbial form referring to a prior action)
Usage:
- To indicate a completed action that happened before another:
Avendo studiato molto, superò l’esame. (Having studied a lot, he passed the exam.) - To express cause or reason:
Essendo arrivato tardi, perse il treno. (Having arrived late, he missed the train.) - To provide background information in narratives:
Avendo finito il lavoro, uscì. (Having finished the work, he went out.) - Sometimes used instead of a full subordinate clause for conciseness.
Formation:
The Gerundio Passato is formed with the gerundio presente of the auxiliary verb avere or essere, followed by the past participle of the main verb.
Using Avere:
- Most verbs use avendo + past participle.
- Example: avendo parlato (having spoken)
- Most verbs use avendo + past participle.
Using Essere:
- Verbs of motion, change of state, reflexive verbs, and the verb essere itself use essendo + past participle. The past participle agrees in gender and number with the subject.
- Example: essendo andato/a (having gone)
- Verbs of motion, change of state, reflexive verbs, and the verb essere itself use essendo + past participle. The past participle agrees in gender and number with the subject.
Examples of Formation:
| Verb Type | Example |
|---|---|
| -are (avere) | avendo parlato |
| -ere (avere) | avendo preso |
| -ire (avere) | avendo dormito |
| Irregular (avere) | avendo fatto |
| Motion/change (essere) | essendo arrivato/a |
| Reflexive | essendosi alzato/a |
Common Uses with Time or Cause:
- dopo aver … (after having …)
- poiché avendo … (since having …)
- essendo stato … (having been …)
Examples:
- Avendo studiato tutta la notte, era molto stanco. (Having studied all night, he was very tired.)
- Essendo partiti presto, arrivarono in tempo. (Having left early, they arrived on time.)
- Avendo già mangiato, non aveva fame. (Having already eaten, he wasn’t hungry.)
- Essendosi allenata bene, vinse la gara. (Having trained well, she won the race.)
