imperfect progressive  



Gramática
The imperfect progressive is formed using
the formula below:

imperfect indicative of estar
+
present participle of verb
=
imperfect progressive

The present participle is formed with the stem
of the verb plus:
ando - for -ar verbs
iendo - for -er and -ir verbs

Example:
hablar ---> hablando (talking)
comer ---> comiendo (eating)
vivir ---> viviendo (living)

Imperfect progressive for hablar (to speak)

yo estaba hablando (I was talking) nosotros (as) estábamos hablando (we were talking)
tú estabas hablando (you were talking) vosotros (as) estabais hablando (you guys were talking)
él/ella/ Ud. estaba hablando (he/she was, you were talking) ellos/ ellas/Uds. estaban hablando (you all/they were talking)

Gramática
The imperfect progressive is used similar
to the imperfect. It is essential when discussing
an action that was in progress at the moment
it was interrupted.

Example:
Lo vi cuando estábamos volviendo.
I saw him when we were returning.

Yo estaba caminando cuando llamaste.
I was walking when you called.

¿Estabas comiendo cuando ella llamó?
Were you eating when she called?

Él estaba leyendo cuando alguien tocó la puerta.
He was reading when someone knocked on the door.

Sentences
Los niños estaban jugando cuando algo muy extraño pasó.
The children were playing when a very strange thing happened.

Yo estaba hablando con Aarón cuando ella llamó mi atención.
I was talking with Aaron when she caught my attention.

¿Estaba charlando con Carlos cuando llegó ella?
Were you chatting with Carlos when she arrived?

Roberto estaba hablando cuando ella descolgó el teléfono.
Robert was talking when she hung up the telephone.

Ella estaba durmiendo cuando sonó el teléfono.
She was sleeping when the telephone rang.

Estábamos viajando cuando murió Michael Jackson.
We were traveling when Michael Jackson died.

Ellos estaban viviendo en Venezuela cuando Hugo Chávez tomó control.
They were living in Venezuela when Hugo Chávez took control.

Estábamos viajando en el extranjero cuando pegó la epidemia.
We were traveling living abroad when the epidemic hit.

Estábamos viviendo en el centro cuando atacaron los terroristas.
We were living in downtown when the terrorists attacked.


Notes for the Tutor

  • The student should repeat these sentences to practice vocabulary and improve pronunciation.
  • The tutor should help the student form his or her own sentences. Also the tutor should have a conversation with the student practicing with the imperfect progressive.
  • Suggested Homework:The student should prepare 5 sentences or more using the IMPERFECT PROGRESSIVE.

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