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Estar + Gerund (Progressive Actions) in Spanish
In Spanish, the structure Estar + gerund is used to express actions that are in progress at the moment of speaking or during a specific time frame. This is equivalent to the English present continuous tense (e.g., “I am eating”) or past continuous tense (e.g., “I was eating”). The gerundio (gerund) is a verb form that ends in -ando (for -ar verbs) or -iendo (for -er and -ir verbs). Understanding how to use Estar + gerund is essential for describing ongoing actions in Spanish.
In this blog, we’ll explore common expressions, conjugation rules, irregular verbs, and examples to help you master this grammatical structure.
Common Expressions Using Estar + Gerund
Here’s a list of common expressions using Estar + gerundio that are frequently used in day-to-day Spanish conversations:
Expression Meaning Estoy hablando I am speaking Estás comiendo You are eating Está leyendo He/She is reading Estamos trabajando We are working Están corriendo They are running Estoy aprendiendo I am learning Estás durmiendo You are sleeping Está escribiendo He/She is writing Estamos viajando We are traveling Están bailando They are dancing
Things to Keep in Mind
When using Estar + gerund, keep the following points in mind:
- Articles and Gender: The gerund form does not change according to gender or number. It remains the same regardless of the subject.
- Example:
- Estoy hablando (I am speaking)
- Estamos hablando (We are speaking)
- Example:
- Reflexive Verbs: When using reflexive verbs, the reflexive pronoun (me, te, se, nos, os, se) can be placed before estar or attached to the gerund.
- Example:
- Me estoy lavando. (I am washing myself.)
- Estoy lavándome. (I am washing myself.)
- Example:
- Tense Agreement: Estar must agree with the subject in person and number. The gerund remains unchanged.
- Example:
- Estoy comiendo (I am eating)
- Están comiendo (They are eating)
- Example:
- Avoid Overuse: In Spanish, the simple present tense is often used to describe ongoing actions, especially in informal contexts. Use Estar + gerund when emphasizing the progression of an action.
When to Use Estar + Gerund
The structure Estar + gerundio is used in the following situations:
- Actions in Progress: To describe actions happening at the moment of speaking.
- Example: Estoy cocinando. (I am cooking.)
- Temporary Actions: To describe actions that are ongoing but not permanent.
- Example: Está estudiando para el examen. (He/She is studying for the exam.)
- Simultaneous Actions: To describe two actions happening at the same time.
- Example: Estoy hablando por teléfono mientras cocino. (I am talking on the phone while cooking.)
- Emphasizing Duration: To emphasize the duration of an action.
- Example: Estuvimos esperando por horas. (We were waiting for hours.)
Conjugation of Estar + Gerund
Regular Verbs
To form the gerund of regular verbs:
- -AR Verbs: Replace -ar with -ando.
- Example: Hablar → Hablando (speaking)
- -ER Verbs: Replace -er with -iendo.
- Example: Comer → Comiendo (eating)
- -IR Verbs: Replace -ir with -iendo.
- Example: Vivir → Viviendo (living)
Irregular Verbs
Some verbs have irregular gerund forms. Here are the most common ones:
- Ir (to go) → Yendo (going)
- Leer (to read) → Leyendo (reading)
- Oír (to hear) → Oyendo (hearing)
- Dormir (to sleep) → Durmiendo (sleeping)
- Morir (to die) → Muriendo (dying)
10 Regular and Irregular Verbs in Estar + Gerund
Verb Gerund Example Sentence Meaning Hablar Hablando Estoy hablando con mi amigo. I am talking to my friend. Comer Comiendo Está comiendo una manzana. He/She is eating an apple. Vivir Viviendo Estamos viviendo en Madrid. We are living in Madrid. Escribir Escribiendo Están escribiendo una carta. They are writing a letter. Leer Leyendo Estoy leyendo un libro interesante. I am reading an interesting book. Dormir Durmiendo Está durmiendo en su cama. He/She is sleeping in their bed. Ir Yendo Estamos yendo al parque. We are going to the park. Oír Oyendo Está oyendo música. He/She is listening to music. Correr Corriendo Están corriendo en el parque. They are running in the park. Bailar Bailando Estoy bailando en la fiesta. I am dancing at the party.
More Example Sentences
Estar + Gerund In Spanish Example sentences
- Estoy aprendiendo español. (I am learning Spanish.)
- Estás cocinando la cena. (You are cooking dinner.)
- Están jugando fútbol en el parque. (They are playing soccer in the park.)
- Está lloviendo mucho hoy. (It is raining a lot today.)
- Estamos esperando el autobús. (We are waiting for the bus.)
- Estoy trabajando desde casa. (I am working from home.)
- Está nevando en las montañas. (It is snowing in the mountains.)
- Están estudiando para el examen. (They are studying for the exam.)
- Estamos planeando un viaje. (We are planning a trip.)
- Estoy leyendo las noticias. (I am reading the news.) My Language Classes
Fill in the Blanks
- Estoy __________ (hablar) por teléfono.
- Ella está __________ (comer) una pizza.
- Nosotros estamos __________ (vivir) en México.
- Ellos están __________ (escribir) un ensayo.
- Estoy __________ (leer) un libro.
- Tú estás __________ (dormir) en el sofá.
- Estamos __________ (ir) al cine.
- Está __________ (oír) música clásica.
- Ellos están __________ (correr) en el parque.
- Estoy __________ (bailar) salsa.
Answers:
- hablando
- comiendo
- viviendo
- escribiendo
- leyendo
- durmiendo
- yendo
- oyendo
- corriendo
- bailando
Conclusion
Mastering Estar + gerund is a key step in becoming fluent in Spanish. This structure allows you to describe ongoing actions, emphasize duration, and express simultaneous activities. By practicing the conjugations, memorizing common expressions, and understanding the rules, you’ll be able to use this grammatical form confidently in your conversations. ¡Sigue practicando! (Keep practicing!)
Let me know if you need further clarification or additional examples! 😊
If you enjoyed this lesson, be sure to check out more posts like this on my blog at My Language Classes. Don’t forget to subscribe my YouTube channel and follow me on Instagram for the latest language learning tips and lessons. Leave a comment below to share your thoughts, or ask any questions you have about nouns.
Happy learning! 😊
- 100 Spanish Example Sentences
- 100 Spanish Fill-in-the-Blanks Exercises
- 100 Spanish Vocabulary Lists
- Spanish – Advanced
- Spanish – Beginner
- Spanish – Intermediate
- Articles and Gender: The gerund form does not change according to gender or number. It remains the same regardless of the subject.
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Using 〜そうだ (Hearsay) | My Language Classes
〜そうだ (Hearsay): Expressing Reported Speech in Japanese
In Japanese, the grammar structure 〜そうだ (sou da) is used to express reported speech or hearsay. This form is used when conveying information that was heard from another source, similar to “I heard that…” or “It is said that…” in English. It differs from the 〜そうだ used for expressing appearance (e.g., “It looks like…”).
Understanding how to use 〜そうだ correctly is crucial for effective communication in Japanese, as it helps relay secondhand information accurately. In this blog, we will explore the formation, usage, and differences between 〜そうだ and similar structures like 〜ようだ.
Formation of 〜そうだ (Hearsay)
1. With Verbs
To form 〜そうだ with verbs, use the plain form (dictionary form or past form) of the verb before adding そうだ.
- Verb (Plain Form) + そうだ
- Verb (Past Form) + そうだ
Example:
- 来るそうだ (kuru sou da) → “I heard that he/she will come.”
- 行ったそうだ (itta sou da) → “I heard that he/she went.”
2. With Nouns
For nouns, simply attach だそうだ after the noun.
- Noun + だそうだ
Example:
- 先生だそうだ (sensei da sou da) → “I heard that he/she is a teacher.”
3. With Adjectives
- For -i adjectives: Remove い and add そうだ
- 面白い → 面白いそうだ (omoshiroi sou da) → “I heard that it is interesting.”
- For -na adjectives: Attach だそうだ after the adjective
- 静か (shizuka) → 静かだそうだ (shizuka da sou da) → “I heard that it is quiet.”
Usage of 〜そうだ (Hearsay) in Different Situations
- News and Reports:
- 日本の人口が減っているそうだ。
- Nihon no jinkou ga hetteiru sou da.
- “I heard that Japan’s population is decreasing.”
- Casual Conversations:
- 明日、雨が降るそうだ。
- Ashita, ame ga furu sou da.
- “I heard that it will rain tomorrow.”
- Quoting Someone Else’s Words:
- 田中さんは先生になるそうだ。
- Tanaka-san wa sensei ni naru sou da.
- “I heard that Tanaka-san will become a teacher.”
Situations Where 〜ようだ is Used
Unlike 〜そうだ (Hearsay), 〜ようだ is used for conjecture or resemblance. Some common cases include:
- Guessing based on evidence
- 雨が降ったようだ。(Ame ga futta you da.) → “It seems like it rained.”
- Comparisons and similarity
- 彼は日本人のようだ。(Kare wa nihonjin no you da.) → “He seems to be Japanese.”
List of Verbs, Nouns, and Adjectives with Their 〜そうだ (Hearsay) Forms
Word Type Word (JP) Hearsay Form Example Sentence (JP) Romaji English Meaning Verb 食べる (taberu) 食べるそうだ (taberu sō da) 先生は寿司を食べるそうだ。 Sensei wa sushi o taberu sō da. The teacher is said to eat sushi. 彼は毎日ケーキを食べるそうだ。 Kare wa mainichi kēki o taberu sō da. He is said to eat cake every day. Verb 行く (iku) 行くそうだ (iku sō da) 田中さんは東京に行くそうだ。 Tanaka-san wa Tōkyō ni iku sō da. Tanaka-san is said to be going to Tokyo. 来週、彼女は海外に行くそうだ。 Raishū, kanojo wa kaigai ni iku sō da. Next week, she is said to be going abroad. Verb 勉強する (benkyō suru) 勉強するそうだ (benkyō suru sō da) 彼は毎日日本語を勉強するそうだ。 Kare wa mainichi Nihongo o benkyō suru sō da. He is said to study Japanese every day. 兄は大学で医学を勉強するそうだ。 Ani wa daigaku de igaku o benkyō suru sō da. My older brother is said to be studying medicine at university. Verb 来る (kuru) 来るそうだ (kuru sō da) 彼は明日来るそうだ。 Kare wa ashita kuru sō da. He is said to be coming tomorrow. 友達が駅に来るそうだ。 Tomodachi ga eki ni kuru sō da. My friend is said to be coming to the station. Verb 結婚する (kekkon suru) 結婚するそうだ (kekkon suru sō da) 彼女は来月結婚するそうだ。 Kanojo wa raigetsu kekkon suru sō da. She is said to be getting married next month. 田中さんは来年結婚するそうだ。 Tanaka-san wa rainen kekkon suru sō da. Tanaka-san is said to be getting married next year. Noun 先生 (sensei) 先生だそうだ (sensei da sō da) 彼の父は先生だそうだ。 Kare no chichi wa sensei da sō da. His father is said to be a teacher. 山田さんは数学の先生だそうだ。 Yamada-san wa sūgaku no sensei da sō da. Yamada-san is said to be a math teacher. Noun 有名人 (yūmeijin) 有名人だそうだ (yūmeijin da sō da) 彼は有名人だそうだ。 Kare wa yūmeijin da sō da. He is said to be a celebrity. 彼女は有名な歌手だそうだ。 Kanojo wa yūmei na kashu da sō da. She is said to be a famous singer. Noun 医者 (isha) 医者だそうだ (isha da sō da) 彼の兄は医者だそうだ。 Kare no ani wa isha da sō da. His older brother is said to be a doctor. 彼女の父は医者だそうだ。 Kanojo no chichi wa isha da sō da. Her father is said to be a doctor. Adjective (i) 高い (takai) 高いそうだ (takai sō da) このホテルは高いそうだ。 Kono hoteru wa takai sō da. This hotel is said to be expensive. あの車はとても高いそうだ。 Ano kuruma wa totemo takai sō da. That car is said to be very expensive. Adjective (i) 寒い (samui) 寒いそうだ (samui sō da) 明日は寒いそうだ。 Ashita wa samui sō da. It is said to be cold tomorrow. 北海道の冬は寒いそうだ。 Hokkaidō no fuyu wa samui sō da. The winter in Hokkaido is said to be cold. Adjective (na) 便利 (benri) 便利だそうだ (benri da sō da) このアプリは便利だそうだ。 Kono apuri wa benri da sō da. This app is said to be convenient. 東京の電車は便利だそうだ。 Tōkyō no densha wa benri da sō da. Tokyo’s trains are said to be convenient. Adjective (na) 有名 (yūmei) 有名だそうだ (yūmei da sō da) 彼の店は有名だそうだ。 Kare no mise wa yūmei da sō da. His shop is said to be famous. 彼女の家は有名だそうだ。 Kanojo no ie wa yūmei da sō da. Her house is said to be famous.
More Example Sentences
彼は明日の会議に参加しないそうだ。
Romaji: Kare wa ashita no kaigi ni sanka shinai sō da.
English: He is said not to participate in tomorrow’s meeting.彼は新しい仕事を始めるそうだ。
Romaji: Kare wa atarashii shigoto o hajimeru sō da.
English: He is said to be starting a new job.この映画はとても面白いそうだ。
Romaji: Kono eiga wa totemo omoshiroi sō da.
English: This movie is said to be very interesting.彼女の弟は医者になるそうだ。
Romaji: Kanojo no otōto wa isha ni naru sō da.
English: Her younger brother is said to become a doctor.先生は今週忙しいそうだ。
Romaji: Sensei wa konshū isogashii sō da.
English: The teacher is said to be busy this week.この店のラーメンは美味しいそうだ。
Romaji: Kono mise no rāmen wa oishii sō da.
English: The ramen from this shop is said to be delicious.あのホテルはサービスが良いそうだ。
Romaji: Ano hoteru wa sābisu ga yoi sō da.
English: That hotel is said to have good service.彼は来年アメリカに引っ越すそうだ。
Romaji: Kare wa rainen Amerika ni hikkosu sō da.
English: He is said to be moving to America next year.この会社は給料が高いそうだ。
Romaji: Kono kaisha wa kyūryō ga takai sō da.
English: This company is said to have high salaries.日本の夏はとても暑いそうだ。
Romaji: Nihon no natsu wa totemo atsui sō da.
English: The summer in Japan is said to be very hot.
Things to Keep in Mind
〜そうだ is only used when you hear information from someone else, not for personal assumptions.
〜そうだ (Hearsay) should not be confused with 〜そうだ (Appearance).
Fill in the Blanks Questions
- 田中さんは来月日本に＿＿＿＿そうだ。
- 彼の兄は医者＿＿＿＿そうだ。
- この本はとても面白い＿＿＿＿そうだ。
- 先生は毎日運動を＿＿＿＿そうだ。
- このレストランの料理は美味しい＿＿＿＿そうだ。
- 彼は新しい車を＿＿＿＿そうだ。
- 明日は天気が悪い＿＿＿＿そうだ。
- 彼女は来年結婚＿＿＿＿そうだ。
- この映画は子供に人気＿＿＿＿そうだ。
- 友達は今日学校に来ない＿＿＿＿そうだ。
Answers
1.そう (sō)
2.行く (iku)
3.だ (da)
4.そう (sō)
5.する (suru)
6.そう (sō)
7.買う (kau)
8.そう (sō)
9.する (suru)
10.だ (da)
Conclusion
Understanding 〜そうだ (Hearsay) is essential for conveying reported information in Japanese. By practicing its correct usage with verbs, adjectives, and nouns, learners can improve their fluency and comprehension. Keep practicing, and soon this grammar pattern will become second nature!
If you enjoyed this lesson, be sure to check out more posts like this on my blog at My Language Classes. Don’t forget to subscribe my YouTube channel and follow me on Instagram for the latest language learning tips and lessons. Leave a comment below to share your thoughts, or ask any questions you have about nouns.
Happy learning! 😊