Caught in the act: The Present
Progressive
The present progressive is used
when the action is happening
RIGHT NOW.
Present Progressive is the
equivalent of the English –ING.
It will be used with a helping verb:
AM ARE IS
Present Progressive is different
than present tense:
Present Tense:
happening in general
Present Progressive:
happening right now
(at this moment)
Estudio inglés.
I am studying English.
(It’s in my schedule
this year.)
Estoy estudiando
inglés.
I am studying English.
(Studying right now
for a test tomorrow.)
En la foto, los perros están jugando con el dinosaurio
The dogs are playing with the dinosaur (right now).
La chica está sacando fotos.
The girl is taking pictures (right now).
El hombre está
leyendo las
instrucciones.
The man is reading
the instructions (right
now).
Pause for practice…
Actividades I y II
Actividad I
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
present
present progressive
present
present progressive
present progressive
Actividad II
1. I am teaching Spanish.
2. We are walking to my aunt’s house after
school.
3. They are eating fried chicken for dinner.
Did you notice that in both the
English and Spanish examples
there were TWO verbs?
Don’t forget – the progressive
tense uses a helping verb
(am/are/is) plus a present
participle.
TO FORM THE PRESENT
PROGRESSIVE, CONJUGATE ESTAR IN
THE PRESENT TENSE AND ADD A
PRESENT PARTICIPLE:
ESTAR
Estoy Estamos
Estás Estáis
Está
Están
PRESENT PARTICIPLE
-ANDO
(for –AR verbs)
+ -IENDO
(for –ER/-IR verbs)
Pause for practice…
Actividades III, IV y V
Actividad III
1. estoy
2. estamos
3. está
Actividad IV
1. lavar
2. arreglar
3. correr
Actividad V
1.
2.
3.
4.
está haciendo
están estudiando
estoy hablando
está yendo (note the
irregular participle)
5. estás compartiendo
There are some problematic
present participles that you
will be working with in level 2.
They fall into two categories.
Stem-changing -IR verbs continue to
stem-change in the participle form:
(and this applies to ONLY –IR stem-changers)
O > UE stem-changers change O > U
E > IE and E > I stem-changers change E > I
• Venir (ie, i)
• Divertir (ie, i)
• Morir (ue, u)
• viniendo
• divirtiendo
• muriendo
-ER and –IR verbs whose stem ends in a vowel
will also have a spelling change.
The vowel from the end of the stem and the “IE”
from the ending –IENDO form a tripthong, which
are problematic in Spanish.
Therefore, the “I” that sits between
the vowels changes to “Y”.
• Traer
• Leer
• Creer
• Traiendo
Trayendo
• Leiendo
Leyendo
• Creiendo
Creyendo
Other verbs that have this spelling change include: oír,
destruir, and caer.
Actividad VI
1.
2.
3.
4.
está repitiendo
estás trayendo
estamos leyendo
están diciendo
5. ¿Qué estás pidiendo para el almuerzo?
6. Ellos están sacando fotos al concierto.
So… what do you remember?
1. When you do use the present progressive?
When you want to say what is happening right now.
2. How do you form the present progressive?
Conjugate ESTAR in present tense and add a present
participle.
3. What is the participle ending for –AR verbs? For
–ER/-IR verbs?
-ANDO and -IENDO
4. What type of infinitive has a stem-changing
participle?
A stem-changing –IR verb
5. Give an example of a participle that ends in –YENDO.
LEYENDO, CREYENDO, OYENDO, TRAYENDO,
DESTRUYENDO and CAYENDO