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When you see an English word ending in "-ing," you may be inclined to think of it as a verb form. Indeed that's often the case — but it can also be a noun, adjective or adverb. If you can tell what part of speech an "-ing" word is, you're well on your way to translating it to Spanish.
The rules for translating "-ing" words to Spanish are far from straightforward. What is important to remember is the first rule of translation: Translate for meaning rather than word for word. Often, "-ing" words can't be translated directly and require some recasting of the sentence they're in.
With that principle in mind, here are some of the most common way of translating "-ing" words:
As a verb: If an "-ing" word is functioning as a verb, it is probably being used in a progressive tense. Sentences such as "I am studying" and "She was working" are examples of using a progressive tense. In Spanish, progressive tenses are formed in much the same way as in English, by using a form of estar ("to be") followed a gerund (the verb form ending in -ando or -endo). Keep in mind, however, that the progressive tenses are used more in English than in Spanish, so it may be more appropriate to use a simple tense instead. See how the following English sentences can be translated using either progressive or simple tenses:
* He is studying today. Está estudiando hoy. Estudia hoy.
* I wasn't driving a car downtown yesterday. Yo no estaba manejando un carro en el centro ayer. Yo no manejaba un carro en el centro ayer.
* We will be dining in your honor. Estaremos comiendo en su honor. Vamos a comer en su honor. Comeremos en su honor.
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