Incorrectly using the Present Particple (ing in English)

Question

I think that I have been using the Present Particple incorrectly sometimes. For example, in English I could ask "Are you working tonight?" but in Spanish I couldn't say, ¿Estás trabajando esta noche? because the Present Particple can't be used to express future actions. In reading the grammar section, it states you can use the present tense, ¿Trabajas esta noche?, is that correct? I guess I could also change the phrase to ¿Tienes que trabajar esta noche?, Do you have to work tonight? How would you say something like we do in English-You are always working? Siempre estás trabajando or Siempre trabajas? Thanks

Answer 1

You are again correct.

¿Trabajas esta noche?, is that correct?

Yes

How would you say something like we do in English-You are always working? Siempre estás trabajando or Siempre trabajas? Thanks

Siempre trabajas.

Thanks - bfpsu, Apr 3, 2013

Answer 2

What about, What are you doing? ¿Qué estás haciendo? or ¿Qué haces? Is ¿Qué estás haciendo? basically more like what are you doing right this instance and Qué haces?, what are you doing in general? ¿Qué pasa?, ¿Qué haces?

We normally say "¿Qué haces?" when asking about actions in general and actions at the moment. When asking about someone´s profession / job, we do not say "¿Qué haces?" as in English. For this we say "¿A qué te dedicas?"

With "pasar" we say "¿Qué pasa?" and "¿Qué pasó?"

Answer 3

What about, What are you doing? ¿Qué estás haciendo? or ¿Qué haces?

See below

Is ¿Qué estás haciendo? basically more like what are you doing right this instance

Exacto. Vs in English where it can be in the near future, or for the foreseeable future, or just in general.

and Qué haces?, what are you doing in general? ¿Qué pasa?, ¿Qué haces?

Answer 4

What about, What are you doing? ¿Qué estás haciendo? or ¿Qué haces? Is ¿Qué estás haciendo? basically more like what are you doing right this instance and Qué haces?, what are you doing in general? ¿Qué pasa?, ¿Qué haces?