The simple present sounds better in the first context. In Spanish, the present progressive stresses the continuity of the action much more than it does in English. The second example could probably be either one, but the simple present still sounds better to me.

My Spanish teacher emphasized that in Spanish the present participle is used to indicate ongoing immediate action but not a general ongoing series of actions. For example, if I'm actually making coffee I can say "estoy haciendo café", but if I'm enrolled in Jr. College it wouldn't be right to say "I'm going to Jr. College (these days,)" just to indicate that it's something I usually do, but I'm not actually engaged in at the moment. I can appreciate the distinction, but is she right'

You can also say "estoy en busca de un hotel, o (alojamiento).

Well . . . but you could also just say, "Hago café (ahora)."

Pergolesi said:

My Spanish teacher emphasized that in Spanish the present participle is used to indicate ongoing immediate action but not a general ongoing series of actions. For example, if I'm actually making coffee I can say "estoy haciendo café", but if I'm enrolled in Jr. College it wouldn't be right to say "I'm going to Jr. College (these days,)" just to indicate that it's something I usually do, but I'm not actually engaged in at the moment. I can appreciate the distinction, but is she right?

>

Thanks for the answers, everyone. It seems to me that the simple present is prefered in these cases, which makes me wonder - when/why do we need the progressive present tense in Spanish? I mean, there must be some instances where only "estoy + ando/iendo" will work.

What do you think?

Cheers, Patch.

Yes, but is the distinction my Spanish teacher made a valid one?

Natasha said:

Well . . . but you could also just say, "Hago café (ahora)."

Pergolesi said:

My Spanish teacher emphasized that in Spanish the present participle is used to indicate ongoing immediate action but not a general ongoing series of actions. For example, if I'm actually making coffee I can say "estoy haciendo café", but if I'm enrolled in Jr. College it wouldn't be right to say "I'm going to Jr. College (these days,)" just to indicate that it's something I usually do, but I'm not actually engaged in at the moment. I can appreciate the distinction, but is she right?

>

I'm pretty sure that your teacher is right about this part: you cannot use present progressive in Spanish to indicate habitual action.

As far as the rest of the statement, and Patch's question, we had better wait for a native Spanish speaker. I've always been told that using present progressive emphasizes the ongoing nature of the action or the fact that it is happening right now. The example from our (much ballyhooed) reference section:

No me molestes. ¡Estoy estudiando!

Pergolesi said:

Yes, but is the distinction my Spanish teacher made a valid one?

Natasha said:

Well . . . but you could also just say, "Hago café (ahora)."

Pergolesi said:

My Spanish teacher emphasized that in Spanish the present participle is used to indicate ongoing immediate action but not a general ongoing series of actions. For example, if I'm actually making coffee I can say "estoy haciendo café", but if I'm enrolled in Jr. College it wouldn't be right to say "I'm going to Jr. College (these days,)" just to indicate that it's something I usually do, but I'm not actually engaged in at the moment. I can appreciate the distinction, but is she right?

>

Certainly there are many cases when the progressive tenses (present, imperfect, preterit, future, and conditional) are needed. These tenses stress that the action is ongoing at the moment.

Here's something you can do to get a feel for how these are used. Use Google to search for the present participle of some common verb (such as dando, escribiendo, etc.), and also include "site:es" in your search. The last part will limit your search to sites from Spain. (You could also search for Mexican or other sites.) This will ensure that most of the hits you get are for sites written by native speakers. Read through the hit summaries, and you'll begin to see how and when these tenses are used. Also, get a good grammar book (or online reference) to explain all the rules to you. Too much to write here!

Pergolesi teacher's observation is very correct plus I might add one other thing.
Present tense= norm
The progressive tense = abnormal
Examples: 1) Mario trabaja en una fábrica (He is a factory worker), but James está trabajando en una fábrica. (He is a profesional translator and you would not expect him to be working there.)
2) Niño, ¿qué haces? (just playing a game nothing abnormal) but ¡Niño! ¿Qué estás haciendo?
( He is setting fire to the curtains)
3) Llora mucho= the norm, but Está llorando mucho = abnormal. (There is something wrong, it is unusual)

1) Mario trabaja en una fábrica (He is a factory worker), but James está trabajando en una fábrica. (He is a profesional translator and you would not expect him to be working there.)

That's a good example, and I seem to remember reading somewhere that this use of the present progressive can be translated into English by adding "right now." So, "James is working in a factory right now (but usually doesn't)," or "He is crying a lot right now (more than usual)."

2) Niño, ¿qué haces? (just playing a game nothing abnormal) but ¡Niño! ¿Qué estás haciendo?
( He is setting fire to the curtains)

Interesting. I've never heard of that interpretation. Could you please give some other examples of this usage'

James, Sorry for not getting back to you but we had to finish our gazpacho that we made with tomates and cucumbers fresh from our garden.
Any sentence that shows that it is contrary to the norm: Mi hijo, ¿qué lees? (The son is habitually always reading), but ¡Caray! ¿Qué estás leyendo? ( The mother discovers that the book contains "un montón de palabras soeces.")
Don't you agree that English speakers learning Spanish annihilate the use of too much progressive?
The worse is in future planned actions like She is getting married next month= Ella se va a casar el mes que viene. The learner has the strong desire to use the progressive for these events that have not been consummated.

James Santiago said:

1) Mario trabaja en una fábrica (He is a factory worker), but James está trabajando en una fábrica. (He is a profesional translator and you would not expect him to be working there.)That's a good example, and I seem to remember reading somewhere that this use of the present progressive can be translated into English by adding "right now." So, "James is working in a factory right now (but usually doesn't)," or "He is crying a lot right now (more than usual)."2) Niño, ¿qué haces? (just playing a game nothing abnormal) but ¡Niño! ¿Qué estás haciendo'( He is setting fire to the curtains)Interesting. I've never heard of that interpretation. Could you please give some other examples of this usage?

>

Thanks for the other example, Whip. And I surely wouldn't want to interrupt your gazpacho!

Don't you agree that English speakers learning Spanish annihilate the use of too much progressive?
The worse is in future planned actions like She is getting married next month= Ella se va a casar el mes que viene. The learner has the strong desire to use the progressive for these events that have not been consummated.

Yes, I agree. They are translating from English, so it's not surprising. It takes time to absorb the "feel" of the Spanish.

As for the future use of this tense, that is a solid rule: You can't use the present progressive for future actions in Spanish.

(The above is not intended for you, since you obviously already know it.)