causando

Causando is the gerund form of the verb causar in Portuguese, meaning "causing" or "being the cause of." It denotes an ongoing or simultaneous action and is used to describe something that is in the process of bringing about a result, or to connect actions in a sentence.

In Brazilian Portuguese, the progressive aspect is commonly expressed with estar + gerund: Ele está causando problemas. In European Portuguese, many speakers prefer estar a + infinitivo for ongoing action: Ele está a causar problemas. Causando can also function as part of a participial phrase that describes an event’s continuing effect, as in A chuva está causando atrasos no trânsito (The rain is causing delays in traffic).

Grammatical notes: Causando is a verb form and does not function as a stand-alone noun. It often appears in clauses that describe cause-and-effect in real time or ongoing processes. Because it is a gerund, it can lead to ambiguity if the sentence structure is complex; in formal writing, writers may rephrase to use a full subordinate clause or a noun form (o fato de ter causado, a causa, etc.) to improve clarity.

Etymology: Causando derives from causar, which comes from Latin causa, meaning reason or cause, with the verb-forming suffix -ar. The meaning continues to center on bringing about an effect or result.

See also: causar, causa, causação (conceptual discussions of cause and effect), and the broader use of the Portuguese gerund in progressive constructions.