Ducând

Ducând is the gerund form of the Romanian verb a duce, meaning to carry, to bring, or to lead. It marks an ongoing or concomitant action and can express manner or simultaneity in relation to another verb. As a non-finite form, ducând often appears in clauses that describe how something is done or in adverbial constructions such as “dund în mână” or “ducând …,” linking actions without a finite verb of its own.

Morphology and formation: ducând is the present active gerund (gerunziu prezent) of a duce. It is formed with the stem duc- plus the -ând suffix. The form does not inflect for person or number and is used in combination with a main verb to convey non-finite meaning. The corresponding past or other non-finite forms are built with different grammatical constructions, not with ducând itself.

Usage and meaning: ducând generally conveys carrying, bringing, or leading something into the action of the main clause, or it can indicate the manner in which an action is performed. It is commonly found in narratives and descriptive passages to show how an action is carried out at the same time as another event. In formal writing, some guides advise avoiding long gerund phrases when clearer alternatives (such as a subordinate clause with în timp ce or a dependent clause) would be preferable.

Examples:

- Ducând cutia în mână, a intrat în încăpere. (Carrying the box in his hand, he entered the room.)

- Mergând spre stație, a întâlnit un vechi prieten, ducând în gând un plan de întâlnire.

Etymology: ducând derives from Latin ducere, meaning to lead or to take. It shares its root with related Romanian forms such as a duce and the broader family of non-finite verb forms in Romanian grammar. See also: a duce, gerunziu, participiu prezent.