"comen" vs "comiendo"

Question

I am using Rosetta Stone. One of the sentences is as follows: "Ellos están comiendo sus sándwiches." Why is it "comiendo" and not "comen"? Under what circumstances should I use "comen" vs "comiendo" and vice-versa?

Answer 1

They are using the present progressive in Spanish here and not the present tense

Comer (present): third person plural: comen

Present progressive: Estar + gerund (verb stem + ando for -ar verbs , or verb stem + iendo for -er and -ir verbs).

They are eating = están comiendo.

l'm eating = estoy comiendo.

They eat = comen.

l eat = como.

Have a look at this quick lesson to know more about the present progressive.

Very helpful! Thanks, lovely_lovel! :) - beachlover7, Oct 28, 2011

You're welcome! :) - 00b6f46c, Oct 28, 2011

Answer 2

comiendo is eating while comen is they/ all of you eat

yes, but the están gives it the they/you all meaning just as comen does. - 0074b507, Oct 28, 2011

Answer 3

It's the están addition that makes it go to comiendo. It is like in English when we say, that they "are eating" instead of "they eat".