Conjugation: estar + gerund

English usually contrasts a general I work with an ongoing I’m working. Brazilian Portuguese has a useful parallel: “Trabalho” (I work, generally) and “Estou trabalhando” (I’m working now). Context matters, and the simple present is not restricted to permanent situations. Learning the continuous helps you describe what is happening, from “Tá chovendo” (It’s raining) to “Tô dirigindo” (I’m driving).

ESTAR Conjugation Review

Forming the Present Continuous

Step 1: Conjugate ESTAR

Right Now

• "Estou fazendo o almoço" (I'm making lunch)

• "As crianças estão brincando" (The kids are playing)

• "Estamos assistindo um filme" (We're watching a movie)

• "Todo mundo está rindo" (Everyone's laughing)

• "Ele está tomando banho" (He's taking a shower)

Current Situations

• "Estou morando sozinho agora" (I'm living alone right now)

• "Estamos economizando para viajar" (We're saving up to travel)

• "Eles estão namorando" (They're dating)

State verbs: choose according to meaning

Sei, Posso, Quero and Tenho are useful simple-present forms, but the following continuous forms are not automatically wrong:

• “Estou sabendo” can express current awareness or hearing about something.

• “Estou podendo” can express current ability or an informal sense of doing well, depending on context.

• “Estou querendo” can express a current wish or intention; other contextual senses are also possible.

• “Estou tendo” can describe an ongoing experience: tendo dificuldade (having trouble), for example.

Choose the construction for the meaning you need rather than importing a blanket ban on state verbs.

How close is “Tô chegando”?

Brazil’s estar + gerúndio (“tô fazendo”) is a well-established construction and is probably older than estar a + infinitivo (“estou a fazer”). The infinitive construction was already available in Portugal by the 18th century, and its predominance there probably developed during the 20th. Gerunds are also used in southern Portugal and the Azores. The Brazilian pattern combines estar with a gerund; the alternative combines estar with a and an infinitive. Sources: history · regional use.