Fill in the blank question about el uso del infinitvo

Question

Hi guys! The question says: emplea el infinitivo, el gerundio, o el presente segun el sentido de la frase.

Aqui es la frase:

En bodas de sangre, otro drama de garcia lorca, la madre pasa la vida _____ (preocuparse) por el bienestar de su hijo.

We have to fill the blank in with the correct conjugation, and I'm not sure if it is infinitive (preocuparse) because of pasa preocuparse or if it's a gerund -- preocupandose.

Also how would you translate the sentence to english?

Gracias!

Answer 1

See section II -C -1 here.

http://users.ipfw.edu/jehle/COURSES/GERUND.HTM

To express “by (do)-ing (something)” when it comes after a verb, normally the gerund is used :

In my experience pasar is usually followed by the verb in present participle.

En “Bodas de sangre”, otro drama de García Lorca, la madre pasa la vida preocupándose por el bienestar de su hijo.

In “Blood Wedding”, another drama by Garcia Lorca, the mother spends her life worrying about the well-being of her son.

Thanks!!!! - kyleyyzhu, Mar 13, 2016

De nada. :) - bosquederoble, Mar 13, 2016