Spanish Present Progressive (Presente Progresivo): Conjugation, Rules & Real Examples
Learn how to form and use the Spanish Present Progressive with “estar + gerund”, understand when it’s used, see common mistakes, and practice with interactive online exercises.
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Spanish Exercises. Your Questions Answered.
Explore the most common questions about our Spanish Present Progressive Exercises and how Elayaa makes learning interactive, simple, and effective.
💡 What is the Spanish Present Progressive?
The Present Progressive describes actions happening right now, in the moment of speaking.
💡 How is the Present Progressive formed in Spanish?
It uses estar (present) + gerund:
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AR → -ando (hablar → hablando)
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ER/IR → -iendo (comer → comiendo, vivir → viviendo)
💡 When is the Present Progressive used?
To express:
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Actions happening right now
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Temporary actions
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Changing or evolving situations
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Actions in progress around the present
💡 What are the most common irregular gerunds?
Leyendo, oyendo, trayendo, viniendo, diciendo, durmiendo, pudiendo, sirviendo.
💡 Is the Present Progressive used as much as in English?
No. Spanish prefers the simple present for many situations where English uses “-ing”.
💡 Can the Present Progressive express future plans?
Yes, but only when the plan is in progress or already arranged:
"Estoy viajando mañana".
💡 Is “estar” always conjugated in the Present Indicative?
Yes: estoy, estás, está, estamos, estáis, están.
💡 What are the differences between Present Progressive and Present Indicative?
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Present Progressive: action happening now.
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Present Indicative: habits, routines, general truths, scheduled events.
💡 Are reflexive verbs used with the Present Progressive?
Yes: pronoun + estar + gerund
"Me estoy duchando" / "Estoy duchándome".
💡 What are common mistakes with this tense?
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Overusing it like in English
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Forgetting irregular gerunds
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Using “ser” instead of “estar”
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Using it for long-lasting habits (incorrect)