The present progressive tense, similar to its use in English, describes an event that continues to take place in the present, e.g., “Eu estou falando” (I am speaking). It is formed by adding the auxiliary verb “estar” to the present participle, also known as the gerund.
The gerund is formed by attaching “-ando” to the stem of “-ar” ending verbs, “-endo” to the stem of “-er” ending verbs, and “-indo” to the stem of “-ir” ending verbs.
| “-ar” verbs | subject pronoun + “estar” in present tense + (verb stem+ ando) |
| “-er” verbs | subject pronoun + “estar” in present tense + (verb stem+ endo) |
| “-ir” verbs | subject pronoun + “estar” in present tense + (verb stem+ indo) |
The table below summarizes the conjugation rules of the three verb groups in the present progressive tense:
| -ar ending e.g., falar | -er ending e.g., comer | -ir ending e.g., partir | ||
| eu | estou | falando | comendo | partindo |
| ele/ela/você | está | |||
| nós | estamos | |||
| eles/elas/vocês | estão |
Examples
Here are some more examples in context:
| Eu estou comendo agora. | I am eating now. |
| Você está tomando café. | You are drinking coffee. |
| Ela está falando com a mãe. | She is speaking to her mother. |
| Nós estamos dormindo. | We are sleeping. |
| Eles estão nadando aqui. | They are swimming here. |
Other lessons in Level III:
Level III – Elementary
2. The Verb “to Know”: “Saber” vs. “Conhecer”
3. Indefinite Adjectives & Pronouns
6. Special Uses of “Haver” & “Ter”
