A2Lesson 1: Present Continuous & Gerund
The gerund in Portuguese is formed by adding -ando, -endo, or -indo to verb stems, creating forms equivalent to English "-ing" that express ongoing actions when combined with estar or function independently in various contexts.
-AR verbs → -ando: falando, estudando, trabalhando
-ER verbs → -endo: comendo, bebendo, correndo
-IR verbs → -indo: partindo, dormindo, saindo
Used with estar for present continuous: estou falando
Can stand alone for simultaneous actions: Saiu correndo
Very few irregular forms: pondo (pôr), vindo (vir)
Never changes for person or number
Replaces infinitive after certain verbs: continuar, ficar
The gerund is your key to describing what's happening right now and adding dynamism to your Portuguese! While English uses "-ing" for many purposes, Portuguese gerunds have specific uses that make your speech sound natural and Brazilian. From "Estou estudando português" (I'm studying Portuguese) to "Chegou cantando" (He arrived singing), mastering gerunds lets you paint vivid pictures of actions in progress and simultaneous events.
verb stem + -ando (AR) / -endo (ER) / -indo (IR) = gerund
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| Verb Type | Remove | Add | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| -AR verbs | -ar | -ando | falar → falando |
| -ER verbs | -er | -endo | comer → comendo |
| -IR verbs | -ir | -indo | partir → partindo |
"Estou trabalhando em casa hoje" (I'm working from home today)
"Ela está estudando medicina" (She's studying medicine)
"Estamos preparando o jantar" (We're preparing dinner)
"O que você está fazendo?" (What are you doing?)
"Estão assistindo Netflix" (They're watching Netflix)
"O bebê está dormindo" (The baby is sleeping)
"Está chovendo muito" (It's raining a lot)
"Ele está dirigindo" (He's driving)
"Estamos esperando você" (We're waiting for you)
Some verbs rarely appear in continuous:
❌ "Estou sabendo" → ✅ "Eu sei" (I know)
❌ "Está sendo" → ✅ "É" (is) - except in specific contexts
❌ "Estou tendo" → ✅ "Tenho" (I have) - except "tendo dificuldades"
Brazil: "Estou falando" (I'm speaking)
Portugal: "Estou a falar" (with infinitive)
Never use the Portuguese construction in Brazil!
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