Prejudicando

Prejudicando is the gerund form of the Portuguese verb prejudicar, meaning to cause harm, damage, or disadvantage to someone or something. It expresses an ongoing action that harms or prejudices. In everyday use, it often appears with auxiliary verbs to indicate progression, as in está prejudicando (is harming) or vinha prejudicando (had been harming). The term can apply to physical harm, as well as to harms to interests, reputations, or opportunities.

Etymology and grammar: prejudicar derives from Latin praejudicare, combining prae- (before) and iudicare (to judge), with the sense evolving over time toward to harming or disadvantaging. The gerund prejudicando forms part of progressive or continuous constructions in Portuguese, typically paired with estar, ficar, continuar, or simplesmente used as a participial phrase.

Usage: Prejudicando is common in media, policy discussions, and everyday speech to describe actions or decisions that create negative outcomes. It can refer to concrete harm (economic loss, physical damage) or figurative harm (reputational damage, reduced opportunities). In formal writing, speakers may prefer alternatives such as “que está prejudicando” or rephrasing to avoid the gerund, depending on style guidelines.

Examples:

- O projeto está prejudicando as pequenas empresas.

- A decisão está prejudicando a imagem da instituição.

- Continuar prejudicando o meio ambiente pode ter consequências graves.