Teaching guidelines +/- 15 minutes

Learn how to use the Spanish verbs "llevar" and "seguir" combined with the gerund form to express ongoing actions and durations. This lesson explains their formation, usage, and common examples, helping you master continuous actions in everyday communication.
  1. We use 'llevar' to indicate the duration of an action.
  2. We use seguir to show actions that continue
  3. Formation of the gerund: verbs that end in -ar --> ando and verbs that end in -er/-ir --> iendo
Persona (Person)Verbo auxiliar (Auxiliary verb)Ejemplo (Example)
Yo (I)Llevo / SigoLlevo pensando en mi jubilación desde enero. (I have been thinking about my retirement since January.)
(You)Llevas / SiguesSigues viviendo con tranquilidad desde que te jubilaste. (You continue living peacefully since you retired.)
Él/Ella (He/She)Lleva / SigueÉlla sigue aprovechando el tiempo libre al máximo. (She continues making the most of her free time.)
Nosotros/as (We)Llevamos / SeguimosLlevamos cuidando de nuestra salud muchos años. (We have been taking care of our health for many years.)
Vosotros/as (You)Lleváis / SeguísSeguís organizando actividades para jubilados. (You keep organising activities for retirees.)
Ellos/as (They)Llevan / SiguenLlevan planeando viajes desde el retiro. (They have been planning trips since retirement.)

Exceptions!

  1. A word can be added between the verb and the gerund, such as a time adverb or a noun. For example: Llevo meses siendo retirado.

Exercise 1: Los verbos "Llevar/Seguir" + Gerundio

Instruction: Fill in the correct word.

Show translation Show answers

llevo corriendo, aprendiendo, Llevo, lleváis disfrutando, llevo trabajando, soñando, lleva, Sigo haciendo, seguimos buscando, seguimos viajando

1. Seguir + hacer (yo):
Nada ha cambiado. ... lo mismo.
(Nothing has changed. I am still doing the same thing.)
2. Llevar + trabajando:
Yo ... en esta empresa por 30 años.
(I have been working in this company for 30 years.)
3. Seguir + viajando:
Nosotros ... por el mundo después de la jubilación.
(We keep travelling around the world after retirement.)
4. Llevar + disfrutando:
Vosotros ... de las vacaciones todo el mes.
(You have been enjoying the holidays all month.)
5. Llevar + corriendo:
Yo ... 5 kilómetros todos los días.
(I have been running 5 kilometres every day.)
6. Llevar + soñar:
... años ... con tener más tiempo libre.
(I have been dreaming for years of having more free time.)
7. Seguir + buscando:
Nosotros ... una casa para mudarnos.
(We are still looking for a house to move into.)
8. Llevar + aprender:
Él ... años ... español.
(He has been learning Spanish for years.)

Exercise 2: Multiple Choice

Instruction: Choose the correct sentence that properly uses the verbs 'llevar' or 'seguir' + gerund to express actions that continue over time.

1.
Error in verb formation: after 'llevar' there must be a gerund, not an infinitive.
Error: 'para' should not be used between 'seguir' and the gerund; 'aprendiendo' should be used without 'para'.
2.
Error: after 'seguir' a gerund ('disfrutando') must be used, not a participle ('disfrutado').
Error: 'para' is not used between 'llevar' and the gerund.
3.
Error: after 'llevar' the gerund must be used, not the infinitive.
Error: 'para' should not be used between 'seguir' and the gerund.
4.
Error: the gerund ('organizando') must be used, not the participle ('organizado').
Error: no preposition is used between 'seguir' and the gerund.

Understanding "Llevar" and "Seguir" + Gerund in Spanish

This lesson focuses on how to use the verbs "llevar" and "seguir" combined with the gerund form to express ongoing actions in Spanish. These structures are essential for talking about activities that continue over a period of time.

Key Concepts

  • "Llevar" + gerund indicates the duration of an activity, emphasizing how long something has been happening. For example: Llevo pensando en mi jubilación desde enero.
  • "Seguir" + gerund expresses that an action continues or is still happening now. For example: Sigues viviendo con tranquilidad desde que te jubilaste.

Forming the Gerund

The gerund in Spanish is formed by adding -ando to verbs ending in -ar (like cuidar ➝ cuidando) and -iendo to verbs ending in -er or -ir (like vivir ➝ viviendo).

Additional Notes

You can insert adverbs or nouns between "llevar/seguir" and the gerund to add more detail. For example: Llevo meses siendo retirado.

Practical Usage

Using these verbs plus the gerund is common in daily conversation to describe ongoing states or repeated actions. Here are some useful example sentences:

  • Nosotros llevamos cuidando de nuestra salud muchos años.
  • Vosotros seguís organizando actividades para jubilados.
  • Ellos llevan planeando viajes desde el retiro.

Comparing to English

In English, we often use the present perfect continuous tense (e.g., "I have been thinking") or the present continuous (e.g., "I am still thinking") to express the same ideas. Spanish uses "llevar" and "seguir" with the gerund to provide these meanings in a compact form. It's important not to insert extra words like "para" between the auxiliary verb and the gerund, which is a common mistake.

Common phrases include:
llevar + gerund = "to have been (doing something)"
seguir + gerund = "to keep (doing something)" or "to still be (doing something)"

Written by

This content has been designed and reviewed by the coLanguage pedagogical team: