3.4 Present progressive

What is the present progressive tense?

The present progressive is a verb tense in the present that describes an ongoing event. The present progressive the same in English and in Spanish. It is formed by the verb estar (to be) plus the present participle of another verb (the -ing in English).

In Spanish you form the present progressive the following way;

Estar (conjugated in the correct person) + another verb ending in -ando if an -ar verb or -iendo if an -er and -ir verb.

For example;

María está hablando.                                             María is talking.

Juan está comiendo.                                              Juan is eating.

Ellos están viviendo en Boise.                         They are living in Boise.

Note that the only verb that conjugates according to the personal pronoun is estar and the that present participle remains the same through the persons.

* If you need to look back on how to conjugate estar click here