Verbs: Present Progressive

01

The Verb 'Estar'

First, you need the correct form of estar. This verb is irregular.

• yo estoy (I am)
• tú estás (you are, informal)
• él/ella/usted está (he/she/you are, formal)
• nosotros/nosotras estamos (we are)
• ustedes están (you are, plural)
• ellos/ellas están (they are)

Note: In Mexico and most of Latin America, ustedes están is used for the plural "you" in all situations, both formal and informal.

02

Forming the Gerund

The gerund is the -ndo form of the verb. Its formation depends on the verb's infinitive ending (-ar, -er, or -ir).

Regular -ar Verbs

Drop the -ar ending and add -ando.

• hablar → hablando (speaking)
• caminar → caminando (walking)
• trabajar → trabajando (working)

• Estamos platicando con nuestros amigos.

  We are chatting with our friends.

• ¿Por qué estás manejando tan rápido?

  Why are you driving so fast?

Regular -er and -ir Verbs

Drop the -er or -ir ending and add -iendo.

• comer → comiendo (eating)
• beber → bebiendo (drinking)
• vivir → viviendo (living)

• El niño está aprendiendo a leer.

  The boy is learning to read.

• Estoy escribiendo un correo electrónico.

  I am writing an email.

03

Irregular Gerunds

Some verbs have spelling changes in their gerund form.

Stem-Changing -ir Verbs

For some -ir verbs, the vowel in the stem changes.

• e → i: pedir → pidiendo (asking for), decir → diciendo (saying), sentir → sintiendo (feeling)
• o → u: dormir → durmiendo (sleeping), morir → muriendo (dying)

• El mesero está sirviendo la comida.

  The waiter is serving the food.

• El bebé está durmiendo en su cuna.

  The baby is sleeping in his crib.

Gerunds with '-yendo'

When the stem of an -er or -ir verb ends in a vowel, the -iendo ending changes to -yendo to avoid having three vowels in a row.

• leer → leyendo (reading)
• creer → creyendo (believing)
• oír → oyendo (hearing)
• traer → trayendo (bringing)
• construir → construyendo (building)

The verb ir (to go) is also irregular and follows this pattern: ir → yendo (going).

• Estoy leyendo las noticias en mi celular.

  I am reading the news on my cellphone.

• Están construyendo un edificio nuevo en el centro.

  They are building a new building downtown.

04

Usage: Present Progressive vs. Simple Present

While the simple present can sometimes be used for actions happening now, the present progressive emphasizes that the action is in progress at the moment of speaking.

• Simple Present: Como tacos. - I eat tacos. (a general habit) or I'm eating tacos. (right now)
• Present Progressive: Estoy comiendo tacos. - I am eating tacos. (specifically right now)

The progressive tense can also describe a temporary situation or an action happening "around now," even if not at this exact second.

• Este mes estamos trabajando desde casa.

  This month we are working from home.

• Mi hermana está estudiando para sus exámenes finales.

  My sister is studying for her final exams.

05

Placement of Object Pronouns

Object pronouns (like me, te, lo, la, nos, los, las) can be placed in two positions with the present progressive.

1. Before the conjugated verb estar:

• Lo estoy leyendo.

  I am reading it.

• Nos estamos preparando para la fiesta.

  We are getting ready for the party.

2. Attached to the end of the gerund:

When a pronoun is attached to the gerund, an accent mark is often added to the vowel of the original ending (-ando or -iendo) to maintain the correct stress.

• Estoy leyéndolo.

  I am reading it.

• Estamos preparándonos para la fiesta.

  We are getting ready for the party.

Both placements are correct and widely used.