Transcript Imperfect Progressive tense

The Imperfect Progressive tense
(el Imperfecto Progresivo)
To tell what is happening now, you use the Present
Progressive tense:
The Present tense of ESTAR + Present Participle
I am studying.
Estoy estudiando.
You are working
Tú estás trabajando
The Imperfect Progressive is used to describe an action as
it was taking place in the past. References to such actions
usually omit mention of a specific length of time. Like the
Present Perfect, you use ESTAR and the Present Participle.
Since these actions are referred to as they were taking
place (over a period of time), ESTAR is used in the
Imperfect.
estaba
estábamos
estabas
estábais
estaba
estaban
The laborer was working in the factory.
El obrero estaba trabajando en la fábrica.
The boys were eating the fruits from the orchard.
Los muchachos estaban comiendo las frutas del
huerto.
Most verbs that have a stem change in the 3rd person in
the preterite have the same stem change in the Present
Participle:
e>i
o>u
Pedir
pidiendo
dormir
durmiendo
Servir
sirviendo
morir
muriendo
Repetir
repitiendo
Decir
diciendo
Also, as in the 3rd person Preterite, some verbs have a “y”
in place of the “i” in the Present Participle:
Caer
cayendo
construir construyendo
Leer
leyendo
contribuir contribuyendo
Traer
trayendo
oír
oyendo
I was waiting for the bus.
Yo estaba esperando el autobús.
Were you walking through the park?
¿Estabas andando por el parque?
Beto was crossing the street.
Beto estaba cruzando la calle.
We were reading the book.
Estábamos leyendo el libro.
They were sleeping when Ana called.
Ellos estaban durmiendo cuando llamó Ana.
What were you saying when I arrived?
¿Qué estabas diciendo cuando llegué?