How to derive a Noun from a verb.
Nadar = to Swim Hablar = to Speak. how do i say Swimming or Speech. A noun from a verb. por ejemplo , sientar- to feel . How do i say " The feeling " Correr- Run , How to say " The Run " do i just add " El , la " before the non conjugated verb? Or is there a totally different world for it.
6 Answers
I don't know if there's a fool-proof way (in either language) to derive a noun from a verb. I would learn each noun as I learn the language, just as I learn each verb one at a time. "Swimming" is "la natación," "speech" can be said "la habla," "the feeling" is "el sentimiento," and I don't know how to say "the run" in Spanish.
La natacion. El hablador. El discuro. El sentimiento. El corro.
This is something that confuses me. It is my understanding that the gerund does not exist in Spanish as it does in English, yet if I say '¿Trabajando duro?' the person knew I asked if he was working hard. His reply: 'Siempre'. I'm not sure if I was technically wrong with this use of the gerund. Would like to get this clarified.
With respect to this post, "swimming", is a true verbal noun ...
Note also that, although used as a noun, it retains some of its verbal properties. For example "Speaking softly is considered polite." ('softly' an adverb modifies 'speaking') also "Speaking Spanish is easy." ('Spanish' is the direct object of 'speaking').
If you search for "gerund" (a verbal noun) you'll find at least a dozen threads which will almost certainly sort out your problems.
With respect to this post, "swimming", is a true verbal noun but "speech" is not; the action "speaking" is the gerund while "speech" is the product of that action.
For example "speaking is not intrinsically difficult although certain audiences may be". Here "speaking" clearly a part of the verb, "to speak", is used as a noun, the subject of the sentence. "Speech, that is intelligent speech, is one of man's most precious abilities." "Speech" is not part of any verb despite the fact that it is clearly related to the act of speaking. It is an independent noun.
Check this out. It is the conjugation section which you can get to from the More heading in the toolbar above.
