Describing action in progress Present Progressive Tense

Overview In Spanish the present progressive tense is used to express an action that is happening at the moment of speaking. It is formed by the verb estar + present participle. Los gemelos están jugando ahora. The twins are playing now.

A.Uses (1) It is only used for something that is happening right now. Unlike English, the present progressive in Spanish is not used for an action that will take place in the future or take place during a period of time. In those cases Spanish uses the simple present tense. Notice the differences between English and Spanish in the following examples: La tía está cuidando al bebé en este momento. The aunt is taking care of the baby right now. Mi hermana se casa este año. My sister is getting married at the end of the year. Jorge y Luisa viven juntos. Jorge and Luisa are living together.

A. Uses (2) The progressive tense may also be expressed with verbs andar, continuar, ir, seguir, and venir + present participle. La familia continúa estando intacta. The family continues to be intact. Los chicos andan corriendo por afuera. The children are running outside. Los niños siguen creciendo en familias. The children continue to grow in families. Ellos van cantando al trabajo. They go to work singing. Esto viene cambiando desde hace tiempo. This has been changing for some time.

B. Forms of the present participle (1) To form the present participle, find the stem of the verb and add –ando to –ar verbs and –iendo to –er and –ir verbs. PresentParticipleForms -ar > -ando cambi ar cambi cambi ando -er, -ir > -iendo aprend er aprend aprendi endo compart ir compart compart iendo

B. Forms (2) With –er and –ir verbs add –yendo if the stem ends in a vowel. le er > l e - > le yendo constru ir > contr u - > constru yendo

B. Forms (3) -ir verbs that change e > i or o > u in the third-person of the preterit, show the same change in the stem of the present participle. s e rv ir > s i rv iendo d o rm ir > d u rm iendo

B. Forms (4) The present participle of ir (to go) is yendo. NOTE: In Spanish the present participle is called gerundio.

Exercises: p CS1-6 and CS1-7 El Profesor

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