Estar + gerund: what is happening right now
The present progressive (estoy hablando) describes an action in progress at this moment. It is estar, conjugated, plus the gerund, which never changes: estoy comiendo, estás comiendo, están comiendo. The drill tests the gerund, because that is where the mistakes are.
| Verb type | Gerund | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| -ar | -ando | hablando, jugando, estudiando |
| -er / -ir | -iendo | comiendo, viviendo, haciendo, poniendo |
| vowel + -er / -ir | -yendo | leyendo, oyendo, creyendo, trayendo, cayendo, construyendo, huyendo |
| -ir with e → ie / e → i | e → i | pidiendo, sirviendo, diciendo, sintiendo, viniendo, repitiendo, siguiendo, riendo |
| -ir with o → ue (and poder) | o → u | durmiendo, muriendo, pudiendo |
| ir | yendo | estoy yendo (rare, but regular in the drill) |
Note that -er verbs with a stem change in the present keep their stem in the gerund: volviendo, queriendo, perdiendo. The one -er exception is poder → pudiendo. Otherwise only -ir verbs change.
Three differences from English
Never for the future. English says “I am leaving tomorrow”; Spanish uses the simple present or ir a: me voy mañana, voy a salir mañana. Estar + gerund is for an action in progress right now (estoy comiendo) or one you are in the middle of these days (estoy leyendo una novela buenísima, este año estoy trabajando en Lima). For a temporary situation the simple present also works: este año trabajo en Lima.
Never after a preposition. “Before leaving” is antes de salir, with the infinitive. The gerund is never a noun in Spanish: “Swimming is healthy” is nadar es sano.
Pronouns can attach. Lo estoy leyendo and estoy leyéndolo are both correct; when the pronoun attaches, the gerund takes an accent to keep its stress.
Other verbs that take the gerund
Seguir and continuar + gerund mean “to keep doing”: sigo estudiando. Llevar + time + gerund means “to have been doing”: llevo dos años viviendo aquí. Ir + gerund means “gradually”: voy entendiendo.
Quick answers
How do you form the present progressive in Spanish?
Conjugate estar (estoy, estás, está, estamos, estáis, están) and add the gerund: -ando for -ar verbs (hablando) and -iendo for -er and -ir verbs (comiendo, viviendo). The gerund never changes.
Is it leyendo or leiendo?
Leyendo. When the stem ends in a vowel, the i of -iendo becomes y: leyendo, oyendo, creyendo, trayendo, cayendo, construyendo.
Is it durmiendo or dormiendo?
Durmiendo. -ir verbs with an o → ue stem change use u in the gerund (durmiendo, muriendo), and -ir verbs with e → ie or e → i use i (sintiendo, pidiendo, diciendo, viniendo).
What is the gerund of ir?
Yendo. It is rarely used with estar, but it appears in expressions like voy yendo (I’m on my way) and ir yendo.
Can you use the Spanish present progressive for the future?
No. “I am leaving tomorrow” is me voy mañana, with the simple present or ir a + infinitive. Estar + gerund only describes an action in progress.
Where does the pronoun go with estar + gerund?
Either before estar or attached to the gerund: lo estoy leyendo or estoy leyéndolo. When attached, the gerund takes a written accent.