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¡AVANZA! Goal: Learn how to form the present progressive tense.
Present Progressive
• As in English, the present progressive tense in Spanish is used to talk about what is happening right now. Study the chart, paying attention to the boldfaced words.
escuchar comer compartir
Estoy escuchando música.
¿Qué estás comiendo?
Ellos están compartiendo una pizza.
(I am listening to music.)
(What are you eating?)
(They are sharing a pizza.)
EXPLANATION: You use the present tense of estar + present participle to form the present progressive tense. You form the present participle (the Spanish gerundio) by dropping the ending from the infi nitive and adding -ando to -ar verbs or -iendo to -er and -ir verbs.
• Read these sentences.
le -er tra-er
Ana está leyendo un libro.
Ellos están trayendo los regalos.
(Ana is reading a book.)
(They are bringing the gifts.)
EXPLANATION: When the stem of an -er or -ir verb ends with a vowel, -iendo becomes -yendo.
• Now study these present participles.
pedir servir vestir decir venir dormir
pidiendo
sirviendo
vistiendo
diciendo
viniendo
durmiendo
EXPLANATION: Some -ir verbs change vowels in the stem of the present participle form.
• Finally, read these sentences.
Me estoy peinando.Estoy peinándome.
(I am combing my hair.)
EXPLANATION: Pronouns can be placed before the conjugated form of estar or attached to the end of the present participle (or gerundio). When a pronoun is attached to the present participle, an accent is needed to keep the original stress.