It's a COMPOUND tense, meaning there are two parts:

• A form of ESTAR (in any tense - past, present, future)

• Another verb in the PRESENT PARTICIPLE - aka ending in ANDO or IENDO.

ALL (yes, ALL) -AR verbs end in ANDO

• HABLAR = HABLANDO (speaking/talking)

• TERMINAR = TERMINANDO (ending/finishing)

• ESTUDIAR = ESTUDIANDO (studying)

• DAR = DANDO (giving)

• TRABAJAR = TRABAJANDO (working)

All (yes, ALL) -ER and -IR verbs end in IENDO**

• COMER = COMIENDO (eating)

• APRENDER = APRENDIENDO (learning)

• VIVIR = VIVIENDO (living)

• HACER = HACIENDO (making/doing)

• **but there are a few things to be careful of....

A couple of things to be aware of, though...(you knew it was coming)

1. When you have 3 vowels in a row, and the middle one is an I, it becomes a Y:

LEER = LEYENDO

CAER = CAYENDO

CONSTRUIR = CONSTRUYENDO

2. DORMIR and MORIR change from an O to a U:

DORMIR = DURMIENDO

MORIR = MURIENDO

(Psst - PODER does this too, but we don't really use it much - PUDIENDO)

3. Several verbs change from an E to an I. (Keep an eye on this group, and learn them as a unit, since they tend to cause trouble a lot.)

DECIR = DICIENDO

PEDIR = PIDIENDO

SERVIR = SIRVIENDO

REPETIR = REPITIENDO

MENTIR = MINTIENDO

VESTIR = VISTIENDO

DIVERTIR = DIVIRTIENDO

That's it! Two steps to form an action!

Ready to try it out?

YES? Go forward and take the assessment!

NO? Go back and look over the notes again - or ask me for help!!

FOR THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS, WRITE THE PARTICIPLE ONLY! THERE SHOULD BE NO FORMS OF ESTAR IN THE NEXT 8 QUESTIONS!!

Now: Let's practice the whole thing together. This means a form of ESTAR and the Present Participle.

(So....if you're not writing two things...YOU'RE NOT DOING IT RIGHT!!!)

ESTAR con acciones - el presente del progresivo

One of the rules for using ESTAR is an action. This is done by using something called the Present Progressive.