The Spanish present continuous (also known as the present progressive) is made up of the present tense of estar meaning to be, followed by the present participle of the main verb. The main use of the present continuous is to express something that is happening at this very moment. Also, bear in mind that the contexts in which the present continuous are used in English vary in Spanish.
Keep reading to learn more about the present continuous in Spanish, how it is formed, and the different situations in which it is used in Spanish compared to English.
How to form the present continuous in Spanish?
As mentioned above, the present continuous is composed of two parts: the present tense of estar, followed by the present participle of the main verb. Let’s start with how to form the present participle:
The present participle is formed by adding -ando to the stem (the verb without infinitive endings -ar, -er, or -ir) of -ar verbs and -iendo to the stem of -er and -ir verbs. Spanish -ando and -iendo present participles are equivalent to the English "-ing" present participles:
| Regular Verbs: | ||
|---|---|---|
-ar verbs pensar Translation: to think | → Drop -ar | → Add-ando pensando Translation: thinking |
-er verbs comer Translation: to eat | → Drop -er | → Add-iendo comiendo Translation: eating |
-ar verbs pensar Translation: to think | → Drop -ar | → Add-ando pensando Translation: thinking |
Check out these tables for more details, including Spanish irregular verbs, stem-changers, and reflexive verbs.
Now that we know how to form the present participle, the present continuous tense is as easy as adding the present tense of estar:
| Present tense of estar + | Present participle |
|---|---|
(Yo) estoy Translation: (I) am | mirando la televisión. Translation: watching TV. |
(Tú) estás Translation: (You-singular, informal) are | comiendo pizza. Translation: eating pizza. |
(Él/Ella/Usted) está Translation: (He/She/You-formal) is | viviendo en Buenos Aires. Translation: living in Buenos Aires. |
(Nosotros/Nosotras) estamos Translation: (We) are | |
(Vosotros/Vosotras) estáis Translation: (You-plural, only used in Spain) are | |
(Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes) están Translation: (They/You-plural) are |
How to form negative sentences?
What if the sentence is negative? Where do we put the negative word, “no”? In English, the negative word is placed between the verb “to be” and the present participle, e.g., “I am not doing the dishes.” However, Spanish negative words are located right before the conjugated form of estar meaning to be:
How to form questions?
When using the present continuous in a question, simply add a question word like ¿qué? meaning what? at the beginning of the sentence, or use a rising intonation for yes/no questions.
Question word:
¿Qué están comiendo? meaning What are you eating?Rising intonation:
¿Están comiendo? meaning Are you eating?Now that we know how the Spanish present continuous is formed, let's focus on when to use it.
When do you use the present continuous in Spanish?
The present continuous in Spanish is used in the following three contexts:
Actions happening right now
This context refers to actions happening at the same time of speaking.
Examples:– ¿Qué estás haciendo?
– Estoy mirando la televisión. meaning – What are you doing?
– I’m watching TV.– Estoy haciendo la tarea ahora mismo.Translation: I’m doing my homework right now.Time phrases that are often used in these contexts:
AhoraTranslation: NowAhora mismoTranslation: Right nowEn este momentoTranslation: In this (very) momentTemporary, non-habitual actions
This context refers to actions that…
are happening at the time of speaking,
have been happening for a limited amount of time (a week, a month, etc.), and
are not what the speaker normally does.
Examples:
Normalmente trabajo en Uruguay, pero este mes estoy trabajando en Chile.Translation: I normally work in Uruguay, but I’ve been working in Chile this month.Duermo muy mal, pero últimamente estoy durmiendo como un bebé.Translation: I don’t sleep very well, but lately I’ve been sleeping like a baby.Time phrases often used in these contexts:
HoyTranslation: TodayEste mesTranslation: This monthÚltimamenteTranslation: LatelyHabitual actions that the speaker perceives as annoying
This context refers to actions that happen frequently (every day, all the time, etc.), perceived as annoying by the speaker.
Examples:¡Estás jugando todo el día con la PlayStation y mañana tienes un examen!Translation: You’ve been playing with your PlayStation all day, and you have a test tomorrow!Time phrases often used in these contexts:
Todo el tiempoTranslation: All the timeSiempreTranslation: AlwaysA todas horasTranslation: All the timeTodo el díaTranslation: All day long
Check out a list of verbs that work with the present participle similarly to estar meaning to be.
When NOT to use the present continuous
Unlike English, the present continuous is NOT used in the following contexts in Spanish:
| Contexts | In English | In Spanish |
|---|---|---|
The verbs ir meaning to go and venir meaning to come | They're going to France. | Van a Francia. |
Future actions | I'm leaving tomorrow. | Me voy mañana./ |
Habitual actions over a period of time | Are you taking Spanish this semester? | ¿Estudias español este semestre? |
Non-action verbs | She's wearing black shoes. | Lleva zapatos negros. |
Check out a list of Spanish verbs that have different meanings when they are used in the simple present or the present continuous.
Summary
In order to form the Spanish present continuous, you need the present tense of estar, followed by the present participle of the main verb.
Present participles in Spanish are formed by adding -ando or -iendo to the stem, that is, the infinitive without the infinitive ending (-ar, -er, or -ir).
The present continuous in Spanish is used:
To express something going on at this very moment
To describe non-habitual temporary actions
To talk about recurring annoying actions
The present continuous in Spanish is NOT used:
With non-action verbs
With the verbs ir meaning to go and venir meaning to come
To talk about future and habitual actions
Ready to practice? Check out this activity (answer key included!)
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