The presente progresivo describes actions that are currently in progress, like "I am eating" or "You are sleeping" in English. It's formed using the present tense of estar + gerund. The gerund is formed by removing -ar/-er/-ir and adding -ando (for -ar verbs) or -iendo (for -er/-ir verbs). It is used for:
- Actions happening right now
- Temporary or ongoing actions
- Near future plans
- Gradual changes
- Emphasizing the continuous nature of actions
Regular Conjugations
| Pronoun | -AR | -ER/-IR |
|---|---|---|
| yo | estoy + -ando | estoy + -iendo |
| tú | estás + -ando | estás + -iendo |
| él/ella/ud. | está + -ando | está + -iendo |
| nosotros | estamos + -ando | estamos + -iendo |
| vosotros | estáis + -ando | estáis + -iendo |
| ellos/uds. | están + -ando | están + -iendo |
estar carries the person; the gerund stays as it is.
Regular -AR verb: hablar in Presente Progresivo
An -er or -ir verb takes -iendo in the same place.
Regular -ER/-IR verb: comer in Presente Progresivo
When to use it
Spanish often uses the simple present where English uses a continuous form: Vivo en Madrid. Use estoy viviendo to emphasize a temporary or current situation. For gradual change, ir + gerundio has a different meaning: Voy aprendiendo poco a poco.
Common Irregular Gerunds
Only an -ir verb changes its stem in the gerund (e → i, o → u); poder → pudiendo is the exception.
| Infinitive | Gerund |
|---|---|
| decir | diciendo |
| dormir | durmiendo |
| ir | yendo |
| leer | leyendo |
| morir | muriendo |
| pedir | pidiendo |
| poder | pudiendo |
| servir | sirviendo |
| venir | viniendo |
Spelling Changes
For -er/-ir verbs:
- If stem ends in vowel: -iendo → -yendo (creer → creyendo)
- If stem ends in -ñ: -iendo → -endo (tañer → tañendo)
- If stem ends in -ll: -iendo → -endo (bullir → bullendo)