Presente Progresivo

There are three different explanations of the Present Progressive. Check them since maybe one can explain things better than the others.

Explanation of Present Progressive 1 - Present Progressive Formation

Explanation of Present Progressive 2 - Present Progressive (Present Continuous)

Explanation of Present Progressive 3 - Spanish Present Progressive Tense

Present Progressive
Formation

In English when we say "I am studying" there are two verbs used: to be and to study. In Spanish the present progressive is also constructed using forms of two verbs. The first verb (the helping verb) is always a present tense form of estar. The form of estar used depends on the subject of the sentence. The second verb is in the form of the present participle.

So, the formula for making the present progressive is:

Examples:

• estudiar --> estudiando
• comer --> comiendo
• escribir --> escribiendo

I am eating would be: Estoy comiendo.
She is eating is: Está comiendo

Here are a few more examples:

We are talking: Estamos hablando
They are asking for money: Están pidiendo dinero
Are you sleeping?: ¿Estás durmiendo?
The teacher is reading a book: El maestro está leyendo un libro

*Note that the verb ir is rarely used in the present progressive form. The simple present tense generally expresses the idea that someone is going, even if it is occuring right now.

I am going to the store. = Voy a la tienda.
We are going to the airport right now. = Vamos al aeropuerto ahora mismo.

Present Progressive (Present Continuous)

– refers to an action that is happening or "going on" right now.

Example:

• I am studying now - (yo) Estoy estudiando ahora.

Observe that in English, to compose that structure, was used the person I, verb to be conjugated according to the person - "I am"and the action that is happening with the suffix "ing". 

Forming this kind of structure in Spanish is easy and very similar to English. You just need the person, conjugate in the present tense verb estar according to the person that you want to refer, and finally use the action that is going on right now.

There are basically 2 equivalents for "ing" in Spanish. Each equivalent depends on the termination of the verb in its infinitive form.

In the chart below, observe how to add the suffix to the verb. You drop the termination of the verb and add the suffixes "ando", "iendo" and "iendo"

Now observe how to form the Present Continuous in Spanish:

Examples:

• Yo estoy hablando. – I'm talking.
• Tú estás hablando. – I'm talking.
• Ella está hablando. – She is talking.
• Él está hablando. – He is talking.
• Usted está hablando. – You are talking.– formal
• Nosostros estamos hablando. – We are talking.
• Vosostros estáis hablando. – We are talking.
• Ellos están hablando. – They are talking.
• Ustedes están hablando. – You are talking. – formal

For verbs ending in uir and for verbs that have their roots ending in vowels, the equivalent to ing would be yendo. Observe the charts below:

Type of verbs	Equivalents to "ing" in Spanish
Verbs ending in uir	YENDO
Verbs that roots end in vowels	YENDO

In the chart below, observe how to add the suffix to the verb. You drop the termination of the verb and add the suffixes "yendo"

Infinitive form	Adding the right suffix
huir (to flee)	huYENDO (fleeing)
caer (to fall)	caYENDO (falling)

Examples:

• Yo estoy leyendo. – I'm reading.
• Tú estás leyendo. – You are reading.
• Ella está leyendo. – She is reading.
• Él está leyendo. – He is reading.
• Usted está leyendo. – You are reading. – formal
• Nosostros estamos leyendo. – We are reading.
• Vosostros estáis leyendo. – You are reading. – informal
• Ellos están leyendo. – They are reading.
• Ustedes están leyendo. – You are reading. – formal

Spanish Present Progressive Tense

Understanding the Present Progressive

The term present progressive is a fancy way of describing the verb tense that emphasizes that an action is currently taking place as we speak. It is characterized by the verb "to be," followed by a second verb that ends with –ing (the present participle). For example:

I am studying.
You are running.

In Spanish, the present progressive is constructed in a similar way. Use the "to be" verb estar. Instead of ending the present participle with –ing, however, you'll end it with –ando or –iendo.

Por ejemplo:

Be careful, though! In English you can also use the present participle in this way:

We are going fishing.

In this case, the verb "to be" indicates a future occurrence, that of fishing. You cannot use the present participle in this case in Spanish. Rather, you must use an infinitive. In other words:

DO NOT say "Vamos pescando." DO say, "Vamos a pescar."

The Present Participles of Regular Verbs

The general rules for creating the present participle of regular verbs are:

1. –arverbs will end in –ando.
2. –er verbs and –ir verbs will both end in –iendo.

The present participles never change … no matter which subject pronoun is used.

Por ejemplo:

Estoy comprando unos calcetínes.
I am buying some socks.

Estamos bebiendo la cerveza.
We are drinking the beer.

Tú estás viviendo en Argentina.
You are living in Argentina.

Irregular Stem Changing Verbs

Note the following irregular verbs, which make a stem change in the present participle form:

Por ejemplo: