Verbs: Present Progressive

01

How to Form the Present Progressive

The structure is: Subject + conjugated estar + main verb gerund.

First, conjugate the verb estar in the present tense:

• eu estou (I am)
• você/ele/ela está (you/he/she is)
• nós estamos (we are)
• vocês/eles/elas estão (you all/they are)

Next, form the gerund of the main verb by changing its ending:

• For -ar verbs, replace the ending with -ando. (falar → falando)
• For -er verbs, replace the ending with -endo. (comer → comendo)
• For -ir verbs, replace the ending with -endo. (abrir → abrindo)

• Eu estou falando com a minha mãe.

  I am talking with my mother.

• Você está comendo muito rápido.

  You are eating too fast.

• Nós estamos abrindo a loja agora.

  We are opening the store now.

02

Irregular Gerunds

Some common verbs have irregular gerund forms.

• dizer (to say) → dizendo
• fazer (to do/make) → fazendo
• trazer (to bring) → trazendo
• ir (to go) → indo
• vir (to come) → vindo
• pôr (to put) → pondo

• O que você está dizendo?

  What are you saying?

• Ele está vindo para cá.

  He is coming over here.

03

When to Use the Present Progressive

This tense is used to emphasize that an action is ongoing.

1. Actions happening at the moment of speaking

• Shhh, o bebê está dormindo.

  Shhh, the baby is sleeping.

• Eles estão assistindo a um filme na sala.

  They are watching a movie in the living room.

2. Temporary actions or situations happening around the present time

• Eu estou morando com meus pais este mês.

  I am living with my parents this month.

• Ela está trabalhando em um projeto novo na empresa.

  She is working on a new project at the company.

3. To describe a gradual change or development

• Está ficando tarde.

  It's getting late.

• Meu português está melhorando.

  My Portuguese is improving.

04

Present Progressive vs. Simple Present

Unlike in English, the simple present tense in Portuguese is often used to describe actions happening at the moment of speaking. The present progressive simply adds more emphasis to the ongoing nature of the action. In many situations, they are interchangeable.

• O que você está fazendo?

  What are you doing? (Emphasizes "right now")

• O que você faz?

  What do you do? / What are you doing? (Can be a general question or refer to the present moment)

05

A Note on Regional Differences

The `estar` + gerund (-ndo) construction is characteristic of Brazilian Portuguese. In European Portuguese, it is much more common to use the structure `estar a` + infinitive to express the same idea.

• (Brazil) Eu estou estudando.

  I am studying.

• (Portugal) Eu estou a estudar.

  I am studying.

Both forms are generally understood in either country, but using the gerund is the standard and most natural way to form the present progressive in Brazil.