pidiendo

Pidiendo is the gerund of the Spanish verb pedir, meaning to ask for, request, or beg. It is used to express ongoing action or to form periphrastic tenses with auxiliary verbs such as estar, seguir, or ir. The form pidiendo is derived from pedir by applying the regular -ir gerund ending -iendo to the stem, after an e-to-i alternation that appears in pedir’s forms (pedir → pid-; giving pidiendo).

In practice, you see it in sentences like "Estoy pidiendo ayuda" (I am asking for help) or "Ella está pidiendo permiso" (She is asking for permission), where the gerund marks the progressive aspect. Pidiendo also appears in phrases that describe the act of asking in general, such as "pedir ayuda" or "pedir disculpas," yielding "pidiendo disculpas" or "pidiendo permiso." The nuance of pidiendo ranges from neutral requesting to more insistent or casual depending on context and tone.

Beyond its verbal use, pedir and its gerund are common in fixed expressions: "pedir prestado," "pedir disculpas," and "pedir permiso." In formal writing or when the simple present is preferred, one may use finite forms instead of the progressive: "Pide ayuda" or "Ha pedido ayuda."

See also: pedir, gerund, present progressive.