adiando

Adiando is the gerund form of the Portuguese verb adiar, which means to postpone, defer, or delay something to a later time. As a gerund, adiando describes an ongoing act of postponement and is used to express that the delaying action is currently taking place. It is most common in sentences that describe ongoing postponement in everyday speech.

Usage and regional variation can affect how adiando is perceived. In Brazilian Portuguese, the progressive sense is frequently expressed with estar + gerund, as in Estou adiando a decisão. In European Portuguese, speakers sometimes prefer a construction with estar a + infinitivo, such as Estou a adiar a reunião, though adiando is also understood. The choice between adiando and related forms can depend on formality, style, and regional habit.

Common contexts include business, project management, and scheduling, where delaying decisions, deadlines, or actions is a practical concern. The verb adi ar and its gerund adiando emphasize the act of postponement rather than the eventual outcome, which may be postponed indefinitely or to a specified future date. In many cases, adiado (the past participle) is used to describe what has already been postponed, as in um prazo adiado.

Related terms include adiar (to postpone), atraso (delay), and procrastinar (to procrastinate). Understanding adiando helps clarify nuances of timing and intentional deferment in Portuguese discourse.