The progressive tenses in Spanish are used to describe actions that are in progress at a specific moment in time. They emphasize the ongoing nature of the verb, similar to the English forms "am/is/are doing" (present) and "was/were doing" (past).
- Focus on actions in progress or being developed.
- Correspond to English forms with "doing": present ("am doing"), past ("was doing"), future ("will be doing").
Progressive tenses emphasize that an action is (or was/will be) in progress.
No, progressive tenses are for ongoing actions, not completed ones.
| Tense | Usage | Spanish Example | English Equivalent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Present | Action happening now | Estoy estudiando | I am studying |
| Past (Imperfect) | Action in progress in the past | Estaba estudiando | I was studying |
| Future | Action that will be ongoing | Estaré estudiando | I will be studying |
Structure: Estar + Gerundio
All progressive tenses are formed using the verb estar + gerundio (present participle).
- Estar: conjugated for the subject and tense.
- Gerundio: formed from the main verb.
Gerundio Formation
- -ar verbs → -ando
hablar → hablando
- -er/-ir verbs → -iendo
comer → comiendo
vivir → viviendo
For -ar verbs, the gerund is formed with -ando.
For -er and -ir verbs, the gerund ending is -iendo.
| Verb Type | Infinitive | Gerundio | Example (Infinitive) | Example (Gerundio) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| -ar | hablar | hablando | to talk | talking |
| -er | comer | comiendo | to eat | eating |
| -ir | vivir | viviendo | to live | living |
Present Progressive
Usage: Expresses actions happening right now or around the current moment.
Formula:
estar (present) + gerundio
| Subject | Estar | Example (Hablar) |
|---|---|---|
| Yo | estoy | Estoy hablando... |
| Tú | estás | Estás hablando... |
| Él/Ella/Ud. | está | Está hablando... |
| Nosotros | estamos | Estamos hablando... |
| Vosotros | estáis | Estáis hablando... |
| Ellos/Ellas/Uds. | están | Están hablando... |
Example:
- Estoy trabajando. (I am working.)
- Ellos están comiendo. (They are eating.)
Use present progressive for actions in progress, not for completed or habitual actions.
The correct formula is 'estar' in present + gerundio.
Past Progressive (Imperfect)
Usage: Describes actions that were ongoing in the past, often setting the scene.
Formula:
estar (imperfect) + gerundio
| Subject | Estar (Imperfect) | Example (Estudiar) |
|---|---|---|
| Yo | estaba | Estaba estudiando... |
| Tú | estabas | Estabas estudiando... |
| Él/Ella/Ud. | estaba | Estaba estudiando... |
| Nosotros | estábamos | Estábamos estudiando... |
| Vosotros | estabais | Estabais estudiando... |
| Ellos/Ellas/Uds. | estaban | Estaban estudiando... |
Example:
- Cuando sonó el teléfono, yo estaba leyendo.
(When the phone rang, I was reading.)
- Estábamos viviendo en Madrid en 2010.
(We were living in Madrid in 2010.)
Past progressive shows an action that was ongoing in the past.
Use 'estar' in imperfect + gerundio.
Future Progressive
Usage: Describes actions that will be in progress at a future moment.
Formula:
estar (future) + gerundio
| Subject | Estar (Future) | Example (Trabajar) |
|---|---|---|
| Yo | estaré | Estaré trabajando... |
| Tú | estarás | Estarás trabajando... |
| Él/Ella/Ud. | estará | Estará trabajando... |
| Nosotros | estaremos | Estaremos trabajando... |
| Vosotros | estaréis | Estaréis trabajando... |
| Ellos/Ellas/Uds. | estarán | Estarán trabajando... |
Example:
- Mañana a esta hora, estaré volando.
(Tomorrow at this time, I will be flying.)
- Ellos estarán estudiando cuando llegues.
(They will be studying when you arrive.)
Future progressive is for actions that will be ongoing in the future.
Use 'estar' in the future + gerundio.
Conclusion
The Spanish progressive tenses let you describe actions as ongoing, whether in the present, past, or future. They all use the formula estar + gerundio, with estar changing to match the subject and tense.
- Use progressive tenses for actions “in progress,” not for completed or habitual actions.
- Match estar to the right tense (present, imperfect, future) and use the gerundio form of the main verb.
- Remember gerund endings: -ando for -ar, -iendo for -er/-ir verbs.
All progressive tenses use 'estar + gerundio.'
No, routines are expressed with simple tenses, not progressive.