The Present The Present Progressive Progressive

Tense Tense

To describe in Spanish an To describe in Spanish an action that is taking place action that is taking place as as you speakyou speak use the use the present present progressive (progressive (presente presente progresivo).progresivo). To do so: To do so:

- Use the form of - Use the form of estarestar (to be) (to be) that agrees with the subject + that agrees with the subject + a a present participlepresent participle (gerundio). (gerundio). (-ing in English)(-ing in English)

¿Qué está haciendo ¿Qué está haciendo Chela?Chela?

What is Chela doing What is Chela doing right right now?now?

¿Qué haces Chela?¿Qué haces Chela?What is Chela doing?(this What is Chela doing?(this weekend..tonight etc.)weekend..tonight etc.)

In Spanish, the present In Spanish, the present progressive describes an progressive describes an action that is ocurring action that is ocurring right now.right now. To describe To describe actions going on in the actions going on in the general present, use the general present, use the present tense.present tense.

Compare the following sentences:Compare the following sentences:Patricia Patricia está escribiendoestá escribiendo una una

carta.carta. Patricia is writing a letter. Patricia is writing a letter.

(RIGHT NOW.)(RIGHT NOW.)Stephen King Stephen King escribe escribe otra otra

novela. novela. Stephen King is writing another Stephen King is writing another

novel. (THIS YEAR)novel. (THIS YEAR)

ESTAR – to beESTAR – to be

yoyo nosotrosnosotros

tútúvosotrosvosotros

él/ellaél/ella

ustedusted

ellos/asellos/as

ustedesustedes

estoyestoy

estásestás

estáestá

estamosestamos

estáisestáis

estánestán

To form a present participle:To form a present participle:1. Drop the ending (-ar, -er, ir) from 1. Drop the ending (-ar, -er, ir) from

the infinitive. (Leaving the stem.)the infinitive. (Leaving the stem.)2. Add –ando to the stem of –ar2. Add –ando to the stem of –ar verbs.verbs. Add –iendo to the stem of –erAdd –iendo to the stem of –er or – ir verbs. or – ir verbs. This is the equivalent of the –ing form This is the equivalent of the –ing form

of the verb in English.of the verb in English.

So basically, you are adding –So basically, you are adding –NDO to the verb to make it the NDO to the verb to make it the equivalent to –ING in English. equivalent to –ING in English.

For -AR VERBS: For -AR VERBS:

For -IR and - ER VERBS: For -IR and - ER VERBS: NDOA

NDOIEIE

jugarjugar jug + jug + andoando

jugandojugandocomercomer com + com + iendoiendo

comiendocomiendoescribirescribir escrib+ escrib+ iendoiendo

escribiendoescribiendo

(playing)

(eating)

(writing)

Subject + ESTAR +Subject + ESTAR + ando ando iendo iendoEstarEstar will be conjugated to will be conjugated to match the subject of the match the subject of the sentence.(gerund never sentence.(gerund never changeschanges

Estoy hablando.Estoy hablando.(I am talking.)(I am talking.)Ella está comiendo. (Ella está comiendo. (She is She is

eating.)eating.)

If the stem of an If the stem of an –er or –ir–er or –ir verb ends in a vowel, verb ends in a vowel,

-iendo changes to –yendo.(i y)-iendo changes to –yendo.(i y)lleeerertrtraaererooírír

leyendo (leyendo (reading)reading)

trayendotrayendo(bringing)(bringing)oyendo (oyendo (hearing)hearing)

The stem vowel of some -ir verbs changes from e iddeecircirdivdiveertirsertirseppeedirdirsseervirrvir

diciendo

divirtiendopidiendo

sirviendo

“-ir” stem-changing verbsThe following verbs normally The following verbs normally

change from echange from eie but they ie but they will only change from ewill only change from ei in i in the past participle.the past participle.

divertirse divertirse

sentirsesentirse

preferirpreferir

“-ir” stem-changing verbsThe following verbs normally The following verbs normally

change from echange from ei in the i in the present and the participles. present and the participles.

decirdecir vestirsevestirse

pedirpedir

repetirrepetir

seguirseguir

The stem vowel of some -ir verbs changes from e i

diciendo

divirtiéndose

pidiendo

sirviendo

saying

enjoying onselfasking for

serving

The stem vowel of some -ir verbs changes from o u.ddoormirrmir

morirmorir

durmiendo

muriendo

sleeping

dying

“-ir” stem-changing verbsThe following verbs normally The following verbs normally

change from ochange from oue in the ue in the present but only opresent but only ou in the u in the participle.participle.

dormirdormir

morirmorir

Pronouns can either go Pronouns can either go before “estar” (the before “estar” (the conjugated verb) or conjugated verb) or attached to the participle.attached to the participle.

ducharseducharseMeMe estoy duchando. estoy duchando.Estoy duchándoEstoy duchándomeme. .

I’m doing it. (la tarea)I’m doing it. (la tarea)LaLa estoy haciendo. estoy haciendo.Estoy haciéndoEstoy haciéndolala. . NOTE: When attaching a NOTE: When attaching a pronoun you add an pronoun you add an accent to the “a” of -ando accent to the “a” of -ando and the “e” of –iendo.and the “e” of –iendo.