Can a verb be used as a "noun"?

Question

In English, you know how the verb "speaking" is progressive and with "to be" it becomes present progressive- I am speaking Is there a way to express "speaking" in terms of a "noun"? Eg. Speaking is healthy Or if you wanted to say a sentence like this- When speaking, you must enunciate- for example. How would you say speaking there? Thanks a lot!!!!!!!

Answer 1

Yes! "El hablar/el partir/el alcanzar" Whatever verb you want to say, and put "el" before it. For example: "el verte sería buena" means "seeing you would be good."

The definite article is not always needed. Often when the noun is the subject of the sentence or the object of a prepostion the verb infinitive does not require the definite article to be a noun. - 0074b507, Aug 20, 2011

agreed! - unMica, Aug 20, 2011

Answer 2

Estoy hablando = I'm speaking. I believe "speaking" is actually a verb in this sentence.

However, in Spanish, they use the present progressive less often and the infinitive more. "Speaking is healthy" would be, I think, "Hablar es saludable."