B1 (Intermediate)Lesson 1: Past Habits & Future Plans
Using estava with gerund to express actions that were in progress in the past.
Formation: estava/estavam + -ando/-endo/-indo
More specific than simple imperfeito
Emphasizes action in progress
Common in interrupted action narratives
Sets precise temporal scenes
estava fazendo vs. fazia (subtle difference)
Increasingly preferred in urban speech
Parallels English past continuous
The past continuous adds precision to your Portuguese storytelling! While "trabalhava" means "I used to work" or "I was working," "estava trabalhando" specifically means "I was in the middle of working." It's perfect for those "I was doing X when Y happened" moments that make stories vivid. Brazilian Portuguese increasingly prefers this form in casual speech, especially in cities, making you sound contemporary rather than textbook-formal.
subject + estar (imperfeito) + verb-ndo
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eu estava
tu estavas
ele/ela/você estava
nós estávamos
eles/elas/vocês estavam
-AR verbs → -ando: falar → falando
-ER verbs → -endo: comer → comendo
"Estava tomando café quando recebi a notícia"
"Estávamos saindo quando começou a chover"
"Ela estava dormindo quando o alarme disparou"
"Estava explicando o projeto quando fui interrompido"
"O dia estava lindo e todos estavam aproveitando a praia"
"As crianças estavam brincando enquanto os adultos estavam conversando"
"Estava nevando quando chegamos ao hotel"
"Todo mundo estava dançando na festa"
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