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As we have already learned the present tense, can be used to say "I am speaking" in Spanish in the same way as you say "I speak": hablo. Similarly, you can say "he is eating" in the same way as you say "he eats": come. |
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| However, Spanish does have a way of specifically translating verbs such as "eating" and "speaking.” The verb forms are known as present participles or gerunds. In English is the "-ing" form of the verb. The present participle is used to indicate some form of continuing action, and is usually translated using an "-ing" verb for example "running", "talking", "playing", etc. | ||||
| This is the equivalent to the English "to be doing" something. The present progressive is mostly commonly formed by combining the verb "to be" with the present participle. The form of "to be" in Spanish which is used with the present progressive is estar. A form of estar is joined with a present participle to create the present progressive tense. | ||||
| However, there are differences in the way they are used. The present progressive is used in Spanish to explain what is happening at this very moment. It is not used to explain what is going on in general. In Spanish, the present progressive is only used to describe an action that is in the process of taking place. It is not used for future actions. | ||||
| To form the present participle of regular -ar verbs, add -ando to the stem of the verb. | ||||
| hablar (to speak) | hablar - ar + ando = hablando | hablando (speaking) | ||
| To form the present participle of regular -er and -ir verbs, add -iendo to the stem of the verb. | ||||
| comer (to eat) | comer - er + iendo = comiendo | comiendo (eating) | ||
| vivir (to live) | vivir - ir + iendo = viviendo | viviendo (living) | ||
| To form the present participle if the stem ends in a vowel, the -iendo changes to -yendo. | ||||
| leer (to read) | leer - er + yendo = leyendo | leyendo (reading) | ||
| creer (to believe) | creer - er + yendo = creyendo | creyendo (believing) | ||
| caer (to fall) | caer - er + yendo = caeyendo | cayendo (falling) | ||
| In order to form the present progressive, you must know how to conjugate the verb estar, and how to form the present participle. Below is a review of the conjugation of the verb estar: | |||||||||||||||||||||||
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estoy |
I am |
estamos |
we are | ||||||||||||||||||||
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estás |
you are (familiar) |
estáis |
you are | ||||||||||||||||||||
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está |
you (polite) are (singular), he/she is |
están |
they are, you are (plural) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| To form the present progressive, simply conjugate the verb estar to agree with the subject of the sentence, and follow it with the present participle. Estar + present participle. | |||||||||||||||||||||||
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"Language is at the core of human existence. Through language we express the hopes and dreams we hold for our families, our state and our nation. The ability to communicate in a second language enables us to know the hopes, dreams and visions of others around the world."
