The present continuous is used to describe what is happening in that moment.
To form it we use:
- Estar in the present tense
Yo estoy (I am)
Tu estas(you are)
El/Ella esta(he/she is)
Nosotros estamos(we are)
Vosotros estais(you (plural) are)
Ellos/as estan (They are)
- Then we add the present participle of the verb.
If it is a verb of the first conjugation, an -AR verb we add -ando to the root of the verb.
To find the root, we take off the-AR. For example: hablar(to speak) when we take off the -ar becomes habl-. We then add -ando. HABLAR becomes HABLANDO(speaking)
For verbs of the second conjugation, -ER verbs we find the root by taking off the -ER and then add -iendo. For example: COMER(to eat) becomes COMIENDO(eating)
For verbs of the third conjugation, -IR verbs we find the root by removing the -IR and then add -iendo.
For example: VIVIR(to live) becomes VIVIENDO(living.
There are some exceptions to the formation of the present continuous and these verbs should be memorised.
DORMIR(to sleep)- DURMIENDO
MORIR( to die)- MURIENDO
MENTIR(to lie)-MINTIENDO
REIR(to laugh)-RIENDO
SERVIR(to serve)- SIRVIENDO
Here are some examples to form the present continuous:
I am playing tennis- Yo estoy jugando tenis
You are learning Japanese- Tu estas aprendiendo japones.
We are writing an article- Nosotros estamos escribiendo un articulo.