Imperfect Progressive  

Grammar The Progressive Tenses Imperfect Progressive
Overview
The "imperfect progressive" tense is formed using the formula below:

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

The present participle (gerund) is formed with the stem of the verb plus -ando (for -ar verbs) or -iendo (for -er and -ir verbs). For example:

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

Example: the present participle of hablar (to speak) is hablando. The table below shows the conjugation of estar and the proper formation of the imperfect progressive:

estaba hablando (I was talking)
estabas hablando (you were talking)
estaba hablando (he/she/you were talking)
estábamos hablando (we were talking)
estabais hablando (you guys were talking)
estaban hablando (you all/they were talking)

The imperfect progressive is used similar to the imperfect.

Él estaba hablando español.
He was speaking Spanish.

Yo estaba leyendo un libro.
I was reading a book.

Nosotros estábamos trabajando.
We were working.

Estaba zigzagueando.
He was zig-zagging.

El niño estaba durmiendo en la tarde.
The boy was sleeping in the evening.


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Popular Phrase: to bring in spanish | Spanish for Business | Conjugated Verb: apadrinar - to be godfather [ click for full conjugation ]