Expressing “-ing” In Spanish, if we want to express the idea of “-ing” we must use a Progressive Tense. Progressive Tenses are compound tenses. This means we use an auxiliary verb (helping verb) followed by a verbal participle. For a progressive tense. We will use a Present Participle (also called a gerund). This is what you use to express “-ing.” The auxiliary verb will be ESTAR (to be). The present participle How does one form a gerund? 1)Take an infinitive. 2) Drop the -AR/-ER/-IR 3)Add the “-ing” to the stem. a) -AR verbs -and0 b) -ER/ -IR verbs -iendo There are no spelling changes for gerunds. If the verb is an –AR or –ER verb, you will not stem change. If you are dealing with an –IR stem changing verb, you will perform a slight stem change. OUE (ou) EIE (ei) EI (ei) If an –ER or –IR has a vowel remaining in its stem, you will change –IENDO to –YENDO. (iy). If the verb is a –GUIR verb you will not change IY. If there is an “Ñ” or “LL” in the stem of an – ER or –IR verb, you will not write the –I of –IENDO. There are 2 irregular gerunds. IR- to go YENDO- going PODER (o:ue)-to be able PUDIENDO-being able Expressing “-ing” If you want to express what you are in the process of doing in the present, you will use the Present Progressive. ESTAR (present indicative) + gerund If you want to express what you were in the process of doing in the past, you will use the Imperfect Progressive. ESTAR (imperfect indicative)+ gerund If you want to express what will be in the process of doing in the future or what you may be doing in the present, you will use the Future Progressive. ESTAR (future) + gerund If you want to express what would be in the process of doing or what you might be doing in the past, you will use the Conditional Progressive. ESTAR (Conditional) + gerund If a sentence calls for it, you may put the Present Progressive into the subjunctive. ESTAR (present subjunctive) + gerund If a sentence calls for it, you may put the Imperfect Progressive into the subjunctive ESTAR (imperfect subjunctive) + gerund “To be” Here are your pertinent conjugations of the verb ESTAR to be used with your progressive tenses. Pres. Ind. Imp. Ind. Future Conditional Pres. Subj. Imp. Subj. Estoy Estaba Estaré Estaría Esté Estuviera Estás Estabas Estarás Estarías Estés Estuvieras Está Estaba Estará Estaría Esté Estuviera Estamos Estábamos Estaremos Estaríamos Estemos Estuviéramos ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- Están Estaban Estarán Estarían Estén Estuvieran