Verbs: Present Progressive

01

How to Form the Present Progressive

The structure consists of two parts:

1. The correctly conjugated form of estar.

2. The gerund of the action verb.

The present tense conjugations for estar are:

• estic (I am)
• estàs (you are)
• està (he/she/it is)
• estem (we are)
• esteu (you all are)
• estan (they are)

• Què estàs fent?

  What are you doing?

• Estem menjant a la cuina.

  We are eating in the kitchen.

02

Creating the Gerund

The gerund is generally formed by taking the verb's infinitive stem and adding a specific ending based on its conjugation group.

Verbs ending in -ar

Remove the -ar ending and add -ant.

parlar → parlant (speaking)

caminar → caminant (walking)

• Estic parlant per telèfon.

  I am speaking on the phone.

Verbs ending in -er or -re

Remove the -er/-re ending and add -ent.

beure → bevent (drinking)

aprendre → aprenent (learning)

• Ells estan aprenent català.

  They are learning Catalan.

Verbs ending in -ir

Remove the -ir ending and add -int.

dormir → dormint (sleeping)

servir → servint (serving)

• El nen està dormint.

  The child is sleeping.

03

Common Irregular Gerunds

Some verbs have irregular gerund forms that do not follow the standard patterns.

• escriure → escrivint (writing)
• viure → vivint (living)
• veure → veient (seeing)
• poder → podent (being able to)
• ser → sent (being)

• Estic escrivint una postal.

  I am writing a postcard.

• Està sent una mica sorollós.

  He is being a bit noisy.

04

Usage: Present Progressive vs. Simple Present

The present progressive emphasizes that an action is in progress right now. In contrast, the simple present tense is used for habits, routines, and general truths.

Present Progressive (action in progress)

• No puc parlar ara, estic conduint.

  I can't talk now, I am driving.

• Mira! Està plovent.

  Look! It is raining.

Simple Present (habit or general state)

• Condueixo a la feina cada dia.

  I drive to work every day.

• A Barcelona plou de tant en tant.

  In Barcelona it rains from time to time.

While English often uses the present progressive for near-future plans (e.g., "I am going to the cinema tonight"), this is not common in Catalan.

05

Placement of Object Pronouns

With the present progressive, object pronouns (like em, et, el, la, ens, us, els, les) can be placed in two positions:

1. Before the conjugated verb estar.

• La Maria m'està esperant.

  Maria is waiting for me.

• L'estic llegint.

  I am reading it. (referring to el llibre, the book)

2. Attached to the end of the gerund. When a pronoun is attached, a written accent is often required on the gerund to maintain its original stress.

• La Maria està esperant-me.

  Maria is waiting for me.

• Estic llegint-lo.

  I am reading it.

Both placements are correct and widely used.