Present Progressive

Kurz erklärt

Use the present progressive to say that an action is happening right now. In Spanish, it combines a present form of estar with a gerund. Spanish uses this form less broadly than English, so it is best for actions actually in progress.

Bildung

present tense of estar + gerund: -ar -> -ando; -er/-ir -> -iendo

Verwendung

• Describe what someone is doing at this moment.
• Ask what is happening right now.
• Place object pronouns before estar or attach them to the gerund.

Beispiele

• Estoy preparando la cena. — I am making dinner.
• ¿Qué están haciendo ustedes? — What are you all doing?
• María está leyendo un mensaje. — María is reading a message.
• Lo estoy buscando. — I am looking for it.

Typischer Fehler

❌ Estoy trabajo ahora.

✅ Estoy trabajando ahora.

Do not place a conjugated verb after estar. Use the gerund: trabajando.

Merke

Use estar, not ser, before the gerund. Some common gerunds change their spelling, such as leyendo and durmiendo.