- The progressive tenses consist of the present, past, future, or conditional forms of estar followed by the gerund.
Example:
Estoy oyendo música. I’m listening to music.
Estaba oyendo música. I was listening to music.
Estuve oyendo música hasta que salimos. I was listening to music until we went out.
Estaré oyendo música. I’ll be listening to music.
Estaría oyendo música. I’d be listening to music.
- The present, imperfect, and future progressive are different from the simple tenses in that they emphasize that the action is or was in progress. They also suggest that the action is temporary, not habitual.
Example:
Miguel juega al fútbol. Migel plays soccer. (habitual)
Miguel está jugando al fútbol. Miguel’s
playing soccer. (right now at this very moment)
- In the progressive tenses, object and reflexive pronouns may either be before the form of estar or attached to the gerund.
Example:
Isabel y Juan están paseándose.
Isabel y Juan se están paseando. (Both) Isabel and Juan are strolling.
- The verb seguir is used with the gerund to mean “to still be doing something”
Example:
Marta sigue despertándose antes de las seis. Marta is still waking up before six o’clock.