Spanish grammar · Advanced
Andar + Gerund: How to Say Go Around Doing in Spanish
Periphrastic where andar + gerund means to go around doing or to be busy doing, often with a slightly negative or wandering connotation. Conjugate andar (irregular in preterite) in any tense, follow with a gerund (-ando / -iendo).
Anda diciendo mentiras.
He goes around telling lies.
What it is
Andar + gerund expresses an ongoing, somewhat scattered or wandering action, often translated as go around doing or be busy doing. Conjugate andar in any tense, then follow with a gerund (-ando / -iendo). Frequently carries a tone of disapproval or restlessness.
In Anda diciendo mentiras (He goes around telling lies), anda is the present 3rd person of andar, and diciendo is the gerund of decir. The construction implies the lying is repeated and somewhat scattered behavior.
How to spot it
Look for andar + gerund. Often used to describe behaviors that are scattered, repeated, or somewhat disapproved of. Common with verbs like decir, hacer, buscar, pensar.
- Anda buscando trabajo. — He's going around looking for work.
- Andas pensando demasiado. — You're thinking too much (and worrying).
- Andan diciendo cosas raras. — They're going around saying weird things.
Andar + gerund differs from estar + gerund in tone. Estar + gerund is neutral (something is happening); andar + gerund implies scattered or disapproved behavior.
Andar + Gerund Quick Reference
Andar + gerund across tenses
| Tense | yo form | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Present | ando + gerund | I'm going around... |
| Preterite | anduve + gerund | I went around... |
| Imperfect | andaba + gerund | I used to go around... |
| Future | andaré + gerund | I'll be going around... |
| Subjunctive | ande + gerund | (that) I go around... |
Common Andar + Gerund Examples in Spanish
Andar + gerund describes scattered, ongoing, or repeated activity, often with a tone of mild disapproval, busyness, or restlessness.
Scattered / Repeated Behavior
- Anda diciendo mentiras a todo el mundo.
- He goes around telling lies to everyone.
- Andan buscando problemas.
- They're going around looking for trouble.
- Ando perdiendo cosas.
- I keep losing things.
- Andas haciendo preguntas raras.
- You're going around asking weird questions.
- Anda contando secretos.
- She goes around telling secrets.
Most common use: describing scattered, repeated, or somewhat unwelcome behavior.
Being Busy / Occupied
- Ando trabajando mucho.
- I've been working a lot.
- Anda buscando piso.
- He's busy looking for an apartment.
- Andamos preparando la fiesta.
- We're busy preparing the party.
- Andan estudiando para los exámenes.
- They're busy studying for exams.
- Ando organizando mi vida.
- I'm busy organizing my life.
Can also describe being busy or occupied with something, without negative connotation. Tone depends on context.
Past with Anduve (Preterite Irregular)
- Anduve buscándote toda la tarde.
- I was looking for you all afternoon.
- Anduvieron diciendo cosas feas.
- They went around saying nasty things.
- Anduvimos pensando en el problema.
- We spent time thinking about the problem.
- Anduvo viajando por Europa.
- She was traveling around Europe.
- Anduve preguntando por ahí.
- I was asking around.
Andar has irregular preterite stem anduv-: anduve, anduviste, anduvo, anduvimos, anduvisteis, anduvieron. Common in narrative past.
Comparison with Estar + Gerund
- Está diciendo la verdad (neutral) vs. anda diciendo mentiras (scattered/negative).
- He's telling the truth vs. he goes around telling lies.
- Estoy buscando trabajo (current) vs. ando buscando trabajo (busy / ongoing).
- I'm looking for work vs. I'm going around looking for work.
- Está pensando (right now) vs. anda pensando (preoccupied / busy).
- He's thinking vs. he's preoccupied thinking.
- Estamos trabajando (now) vs. andamos trabajando (busy / scattered).
- We're working vs. we've been working.
- Estaban hablando (then) vs. andaban hablando (gossiping around).
- They were talking vs. they were gossiping around.
Estar = neutral progressive (something is happening now or was happening then). Andar = scattered, ongoing, often with disapproving or busy connotation.
How Andar + Gerund Works
Structure: Andar + Gerund
Conjugate andar in any tense, then follow with a gerund (-ando for -ar verbs, -iendo for -er/-ir verbs). No preposition between andar and the gerund.
Ando / anduve / andaré + diciendo / buscando.
Tense changes on andar.
Andar + gerund. No preposition.
Andar Preterite: Irregular Stem Anduv-
Andar has an irregular preterite stem anduv-: anduve, anduviste, anduvo, anduvimos, anduvisteis, anduvieron. Many learners mistakenly say *andé / *andó (regular forms), which is incorrect.
anduve (not *andé), anduvo (not *andó).
Preterite is irregular.
Anduv- + -e, -iste, -o, -imos, -isteis, -ieron.
Connotation: Scattered, Busy, Disapproving
Andar + gerund carries a connotation of scattered, repeated, ongoing, or somewhat disapproved-of activity. It's not a neutral progressive (which is estar + gerund); it adds nuance about how the action is happening (across multiple instances, with restlessness, or with some judgment).
Anda diciendo mentiras (scattered + disapproving).
Adds nuance to ongoing action.
Use for repeated / scattered behavior.
Compare with Estar, Seguir, Ir + Gerund
Estar + gerund = right now (neutral progressive). Andar + gerund = scattered / ongoing (with nuance). Seguir + gerund = still doing (continuation). Ir + gerund = gradually doing (progression). Each has its own flavor.
Está / anda / sigue / va trabajando.
Different shades of ongoing action.
Estar (now), andar (scattered), seguir (still), ir (gradually).
Common Mistakes with Andar + Gerund
Incorrect: Andé buscándote. — I was looking for you. (wrong, regular preterite instead of irregular)
Correct: Anduve buscándote. — I was looking for you.
Andar has an irregular preterite stem anduv-. The yo form is anduve, not *andé. Many learners apply regular -ar verb endings, but andar is irregular like tener (tuv-) and estar (estuv-).
Incorrect: Anda decir mentiras. — He goes around telling lies. (wrong, infinitive instead of gerund)
Correct: Anda diciendo mentiras. — He goes around telling lies.
After andar, use the gerund (diciendo), not the infinitive (decir). The progressive periphrasis requires a gerund.
Incorrect: Anda de diciendo mentiras. — He goes around telling lies. (wrong, extra de)
Correct: Anda diciendo mentiras. — He goes around telling lies.
Andar + gerund does not take any preposition. The gerund follows directly after andar. Adding de is a common mistake by analogy with other periphrastic constructions.
Andar + Gerund FAQs
- How do I say go around doing something in Spanish?
- Andar + gerund. Conjugate andar in any tense, then add the gerund (-ando / -iendo). Anda diciendo mentiras (He goes around telling lies). Ando buscando trabajo (I'm going around looking for work). Often has a scattered or disapproving connotation.
- What's the difference between andar + gerund and estar + gerund?
- Estar + gerund = neutral progressive (something is happening now or was happening). Andar + gerund = scattered, ongoing, often with nuance (busy, repeated, disapproving). Estoy trabajando = I'm working (now). Ando trabajando = I've been working / I'm busy working (scattered).
- Why is the preterite of andar irregular?
- Andar belongs to a small group of verbs with irregular preterite stems (anduv-, tuv-, estuv-). The forms are: anduve, anduviste, anduvo, anduvimos, anduvisteis, anduvieron. The endings are unstressed, unlike regular -ar verbs.
- Does andar + gerund always have a negative connotation?
- Not always, but often. It can mean be busy with (Ando trabajando = I've been working a lot, neutral) or go around doing (Anda diciendo mentiras = He goes around lying, negative). Context determines the tone.
- How can I learn andar + gerund naturally?
- Scattered, busy, or gossipy descriptions come up often in casual Spanish. Parrot's short-form videos surface ando buscando / anduvo diciendo / andas pensando in real conversations, so the construction's nuance becomes natural with exposure.