Nouns and Gerunds

Question

Hola, can you explain the difference between "Estoy enseñando." and "Estoy enseñanza". It seems to me to mean the same but how do you know when to use which one? Gracias. Margaret

Estoy enseñanza sounds very odd to me, so I will have to defer to someone else. :) - bosquederoble, Oct 4, 2016

To me, it sounds more than odd; it sounds wrong. - jtaniel, Oct 4, 2016

Very odd is my polite way of saying I think it is wrong, but I am not a native speaker. ;) - bosquederoble, Oct 4, 2016

Ah, politeness. I've heard of that. I should learn more about it. - jtaniel, Oct 4, 2016

I think i understand, enseñanza is "the teaching" so i could say,"the teaching is in the form of self study" but the other is what i am physically doing. "i am teaching" Many thanks - maglet, Oct 4, 2016

Answer 1

Use the first one, don't ever use the second.
"enseñanza" is a noun, you would never say "I am a " (noun). If you did want to say that you were some sort of noun, you would use 'soy' (I am). Soy médico, soy bombero, etc. Or am I completely missing something?

Answer 2

To finish up what Jack started, "estoy enseñando" is the present progressive form. "I am teaching." To form the present progressive tense in Spanish, you use the appropriate form of "estar" plus the present participle of the main verb. The present participle is that form of the verb ending in "ando" or "iendo/yendo."

Estoy comiendo tacos. (I'm eating tacos) Estoy sacando fotos. (I'm taking pictures) etc.

So, Dani, "estar" is the proper aux-verb for progressives? - markfilipak, Oct 4, 2016

"present participle" is a different thing in English. Perhaps it's more accurate to say "gerund of the verb." - Oshnaj, Oct 4, 2016

En el libro de texto "Panorama" la forma de "ando" "iendo" etc. se llama "present participle" en inglés. - Daniela2041, Oct 4, 2016

@mark-- Correct. "Estar" is the correct aux verb. - Daniela2041, Oct 4, 2016

Answer 3

Such difference does not exist because estoy enseñanza is ungrammatical.

We use some adjectives with the estar form as opposed to using nouns.