estar + Gerund

Action in Progress: Estar + Gerund

Level 2

Estar + gerund describes an action happening at a given moment: Estou comendo (I am eating), Estaban falando (they were talking).

How It Works

Form: estar in any tense + gerund (falando, comendo, partindo).

  • estou, estás, está, estamos, estades, están + gerund

Meaning: an action in progress at the moment you are talking about: now (Estou comendo), in the past (Estaban falando) or in the future (Estarei traballando).

Same meaning as estar a + infinitive. Estou comendo = Estou a comer. Both are standard; use whichever you prefer.

Galician gerunds end in -ando, -endo, -indo, never -iendo: comendo, facendo, sendo.

Pronouns can attach to the gerund or to estar. When one attaches to the gerund, the gerund takes a written accent: Estou léndoo. Attached to estou, o becomes no after the diphthong: Estouno lendo.

Not for plans or states. English uses "-ing" for future plans (I'm leaving tomorrow) and sometimes for states. Galician uses the simple present for those: Saio para Madrid mañá, Teño dous irmáns.

Examples (6)

  1. Estou comendo, chámote despois.

    I'm eating, I'll call you later.

    Estou comendo is the action in progress right now.

  2. Estaban falando da viaxe cando entrei.

    They were talking about the trip when I came in.

  3. Que estás facendo?

    What are you doing?

  4. Estamos aprendendo galego.

    We are learning Galician.

  5. Está chovendo moito.

    It's raining a lot.

  6. O libro? Estou léndoo agora.

    The book? I'm reading it now.

    lendo + o → léndoo; the new word needs a written accent.

Common Mistakes

  • Using a Spanish-style gerund in -iendo.

    Estou comiendo.
    Estou comendo.

    Galician -er verbs form the gerund with -endo: comer → comendo.

  • Using the progressive for a future plan.

    Estou saíndo para Madrid mañá.
    Saio para Madrid mañá.

    Estar + gerund describes an action happening at that moment. For a scheduled plan, use the present or ir + infinitive (Vou saír para Madrid mañá).

  • Using the progressive for a state.

    Estou tendo dous irmáns.
    Teño dous irmáns.

    Having siblings is a state, not an action in progress, so use the simple present.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

estar + GerundLevel 2Action in Progress: Estar + Gerund

Learn This First

Estar plus a gerund presents an action in progress.

Learn Next

Patterns that build on this one.

Words in This Pattern

estar