The Progressive tenses Flashcards
What are progressive tenses used for?
How are they formed?
For: Talking about ongoing actions.
Formation: conjugated form of estar + present participle
1) What is the preterite progressive/continuous tense used for?
E.g. Hoy me estuve muriendo de frío.
I was freezing cold today.
2) How is it similar and different from the imperfect progressive/continuous tense?
3) How much is it used in everyday Spanish?
1) To talk about something that was going on at some point in the past.
2) – Both can indicate an action that was in progress in the past when it was interrupted by another event.
–The preterite progressive stresses the fact that the action was already completed at the time of the interruption.
3) It is rarely used in everyday Spanish.
I was studying until you called. (pret prog)
Estuve estudiando hasta que llamaste.
I was freezing cold today. (pret prog)
Hoy me estuve muriendo de frío.
He was working until seven o’clock. (pret prog)
Él estuvo trabajando hasta las siete.
We were studying all weekend (pret prog)
Estuvimos estudiando todo el fin de semana.
What is the imperfect progressive/continuous tense used for? (2)
How is it similar and different from the preterite progressive / continuous tense?
How is it similar and different from the imperfect tense?
– Tells us what a person was doing.
– Emphasizing the fact that an action in the past was interrupted.
Stresses the fact that an action was ongoing at the time of the interruption
Emphasis on the fact that the action was in progress at the moment it was interrupted
I was talking to my mother when you called.
Estaba hablando con mi madre cuando llamaste.
He saw us when we were walking in the park.
Nos vio cuando estábamos caminando en el parque.
He was working at seven o’clock.
Él estaba trabajando a las siete.
How is the future progressive/continuous tense formed?
estar in future + present participle
Thursday at four you’ll be finishing your English test.
El jueves a las cuatro estarán terminando su examen de inglés.
If you need something, I’ll be reading in the garden.
Si necesitas algo, estaré leyendo en el jardín.
He will be working when you arrive.
Estará trabajando cuando llegues
Tomorrow, we will be walking in Barcelona.
Mañana, estaremos caminando en Barcelona.
What is the conditional progressive/continuous tense used for? (2)
e.g. Sabía que mis padres estarían comiendo.
I knew my parents would be eating.
– Express an action that would be in progress at a certain point in time.
– can also make a conjecture about what might or must be happening
I knew my parents would be eating.
Sabía que mis padres estarían comiendo.
If Juan were here, we would be studying
Si Juan estuviera aquí, estaríamos estudiando.
– ¿Dónde está Lupita?
– Estaría leyendo
– Where is Lupita?
– She must be reading.
I’d be asking you for some of your cake if I weren’t on a diet.
Estaría pidiéndote que me des de tu pastel si no estuviera a dieta.
What is the past perfect progressive/continuous tense used for?
How is it formed?
– “have/has + been + gerund”
He has been running a lot
– “had + been + gerund”
“He had been running a lot”
To refer to continuing actions that may be taking place up to the present.
have/has + been + gerund
– Present indicative of haber + estado + gerund
“Ha estado corriendo mucho”
– imperfect of haber + estado + gerund
“Había estado corriendo mucho”
How do you know if someone has been using marijuana?
¿Cómo se sabe si alguien ha estado usando marihuana?
I have been thinking about you.
He estado pensando en ti.
Mom and I have been talking about the future.
Mamá y yo hemos estado hablando del futuro.
