Presente o pasado progresivo
Context: "I am reading a book". The reading of the book is not complete, I am still reading the book.
Question: Is it present or past progressive?
Here I am sharing my research with you. Feel free to post your own here as well.
It can't be the past progressive tense because that tense indicates continuing action, something that was happening, going on, at some point in the past.
This tense is formed with the helping "to be" verb, in the past tense, plus the present participle of the verb (with an -ing ending):
I was riding my bike all day yesterday.
Joel was being a terrible role model for his younger brother.
The present progressive tense indicates continuing action, something going on now.
This tense is formed with the helping "to be" verb, in the present tense, plus the present participle of the verb (with an -ing ending):
I am buying all my family's Christmas gifts early this year.
She is working through the holiday break.
Dierdre is being a really good girl in these days before Christmas.
The present progressive can suggest that an action is going to happen in the future, especially with verbs that convey the idea of a plan or of movement from one place or condition to another:
The team is arriving in two hours.
He's moving to Portland this summer.
Because the present progressive can suggest either the present or the future, it is usually modified by adverbs of time.
En español:
Contexto: "Estoy leyendo un libro." La lectura del libro no está completa, todavía estoy leyendo el libro.
Pregunta: ¿Es presente o pasado progresivo?
Aquí estoy compartiendo mi investigación contigo. Puedes publicar aquí su propia investigación.
No puede ser el tiempo pasado progresivo porque ese tiempo indica acción continua, algo que estaba pasando en algún momento en el pasado.
Este tiempo se forma con el verbo auxiliar "estar", en pasado, más el participio presente del verbo (con un final de -ing):
Yo estaba montando mi bicicleta todo el día de ayer.
Joel estaba siendo un modelo a seguir terrible para tu hermano menor.
El tiempo presente progresivo indica acción continua, algo que se hace ahora.
Este tiempo se forma con el verbo auxiliar "estar", en tiempo presente, más el participio presente del verbo (con un final de -ing):
Voy a comprar todos los regalos de Navidad de mi familia a principios de este año.
Ella está trabajando en vacaciones.
Dierdre está siendo una buena chica en estos días antes de Navidad.
El presente progresivo puede sugerir que una acción va a pasar en el futuro especialmente con los verbos que expresan la idea de un plan o de movimiento de un lugar o condición a otra:
El equipo llega en dos horas.
Se está mudando a Portland este verano.
Debido a que el presente progresivo puede sugerir el presente o futuro, por lo general es modificado por adverbios de tiempo.
Las correcciones son apreciadas.
2 Answers
Helado
The imperfect in Spanish is often used where English would use the past continuous.
I was reading a book when the phone rang. English has no imperfect tense.
(Yo) estaba leyendo un libro cuando sonó el teléfono.
Bandit
The English present progressive (continuous) can be used to create the future tense.
I am leaving tomorrow.
Me voy mañana.
All progessive actions are things already started and which are expected to end sometime.
Interesting. As in the case of most of your posts, I am not sure exactly what the problem is (you seem to have definitively rules out past progressive already).
To me, 'estoy leyendo un libro' conveys 'I am in the middle of reading a book', while 'Leo un libro' conveys 'I am reading a book'. It is hard to distinguish these two, but the difference is probably that any sentence that follows the present progressive will 'tie' itself with the process of reading the book.
Estoy leyendo un libro. Veo una ardilla encima de la mesa.
I am in the middle of reading a book. I (look up and) see a squirrel on the table.
Leo un libro. Veo una ardilla encima de la mesa.
I am reading a book. I (might be looking up to) see a squirrel on top of the mesa.
The past progressive in Spanish feels a bit unnecessary (I'll probably get massive Spanish native flak for this statement) in most cases. The imperfect is always capable of replacing the imperfect progressive, and I've not seen the preterite progressive (does that even exist?). About the only sentence I've seen the imperfect progressive used which made sense is:
Estaba pensando en ti cuando sonó el teléfono.
I was thinking about you when the telephone rang.
You can use 'pensaba' too, but 'estaba pensando' makes me think that the speaker has 'gone back to the past' and is reminiscing the exact process of thinking when the call came.
Tentatively, I offer another option. "Sigo leyendo el libro" or 'I am still reading the book'. This version will probably be used as a reply to 'have you finished reading the book' or as a continuation of "I have read the book once, twice, but even now -".
Just my dos centavos.
