Present Continous Tense

Question

How to form a present continous tense in spanish?

Answer 1

The form is the same as in English, but the use is not always the same. In English you can use it to refer to the future, you can't in Spanish.

I'm going out tonight (correct) = Estoy saliendo esta noche (incorrect)

Here Spanish would use either the present (salgo esta noche) or future (voy a salir/saldré esta noche)

Good comment. - annierats, Jan 1, 2014

Answer 2

We can also use continuous as a complement to another verb, ie: Te andaba buscando por todos lados (I went around looking for you everywhere) ...... Ella salió del edifício corriendo / Ella salió corriendo del edifício (She exited the building running).

Good example of something not presently happening, but that WaS presently happening, that it not much covered in introductory Spanish classes. - rogspax, Jan 1, 2014

Answer 3

Sometimes referred to as "present progressive", this is formed by the conjugated form of the verb estar + the gerundio of the main verb. Estoy mirando = I am watching.

This tense is not as flexible as in English. Normally, it is only used for actions that are presently occurring.

Answer 4

So, I´d like to expand on the question and Julian´s response, where he gave a couple good examples of the present-progressive happening in the past (past progressive?)

Can this be extended to a future progressive too? Something with estaré/-estará plus progressive participle? Manaña a la una, estaré corriendo la segunda mitad de mi maratón. Tomorrow at 1, I will be running the second half of my marathon.

Or even if that is a bad example, are there other good ones?

Thanks Roger

Answer 5

From what I understand, you can use progressive structures in the present, past, or future as long as you conjugate estar correctly for that tense, and remember that it is still tense specific. Estaba mirando la televisión todo el tiempo cuando era niño. I was watching television all the time when I was a child.