Estar+gerundio VS simple present

[Laurien]

This is confusing for me:

You use estar+gerundio when you talk about things that happen at the moment when you are speaking and for "presentamos como no definitivas o temporales".

Yet since the gerundio doesn't exist in my language, it confuses me.

If i say "I'm browsing a site." that's something i'm doing now. So according to the theorie i should use estar+gerundio. But i would just say it in simple present?

I've looked at many different sites but i can't find one thats explains it clearly.

So can someone help me understand when i should just use presente de indicativo and when estar+gerundio ?

Thank you in advance.

[laepelba]

I think this is difficult for native English speakers as well, since we tend to use "to be" + "gerund" a lot more often than "estar + gerundio" is used in Spanish. I try to keep the following in mind:
- if it is an action that I am in the present habit of doing, I use the present tense verb: "Me despierto temprano en el verano."
- if it is an action that I am physically actually doing right this moment, I use the "estar + gerundio" construction: "Me estoy despertando temprano esta mañana para llamar a mi madre."

How does this sound to you native speakers?

[Laurien]

It's still difficult to understand but I'm trying to keep in mind that gerundio is when you are physically doing it at the moment.

I hope with some practice I'll understand it better, thank you!

[chileno]

Originally Posted by Laurien

This is confusing for me:

You use estar+gerundio when you talk about things that happen at the moment when you are speaking and for "presentamos como no definitivas o temporales".

Yet since the gerundio doesn't exist in my language, it confuses me.

If i say "I'm browsing a site." that's something i'm doing now. So according to the theorie i should use estar+gerundio. But i would just say it in simple present?

I've looked at many different sites but i can't find one thats explains it clearly.

So can someone help me understand when i should just use presente de indicativo and when estar+gerundio ?

Thank you in advance.

You seem to understand the concept (be +verb+ing) very well in English. It shouldn't be so difficult in Spanish, then.

I am watching TV - Estoy viendo (la) tele.

What are you doing? - I am watching TV/I watch TV --Estoy viendo (la) tele - Veo (la) tele.

[aleCcowaN]

This is not my cup of tea and I'm not saying I manage it in English either, but I think that it is similar to English usage of present simple and present progressive. The difference is that when you are using the verbal phrase "ser + gerundio" in Spanish you should be able to see the action happening or to describe it happening as if you were there watching it.

The roof is falling apart ---> El techo se está cayendo [if indeed it is falling apart right now] ---> El techo (está en mal estado/está a punto de caerse/está que se cae/se viene abajo) [if it is in bad shape]

Something is going wrong ---> Algo anda mal [Spanish chooses a verb that describes on going actions, but you can't watch or describe an undetermined "something" doing anything]

[chileno]

Originally Posted by aleCcowaN

This is not my cup of tea and I'm not saying I manage it in English either, but I think that it is similar to English usage of present simple and present progressive. The difference is that when you are using the verbal phrase "ser + gerundio" in Spanish you should be able to see the action happening or to describe it happening as if you were there watching it.

The roof is falling apart ---> El techo se está cayendo [if indeed it is falling apart right now] ---> El techo (está en mal estado/está a punto de caerse/está que se cae/se viene abajo) [if it is in bad shape]

Something is going wrong ---> Algo anda mal [Spanish chooses a verb that describes on going actions, but you can't watch or describe an undetermined "something" doing anything]

Take for instance your second phrase.

** Something is going wrong - algo está marchando/andando/funcionando/trabajando mal

** Something is wrong - algo está/anda/marcha/trabaja mal

** both phrases refer and mean the same.

[Laurien]

Thank you all!

English isn't a problem for me, it's something I feel. So now I'll try to think of the sentences in english first.

Again, thank you.

[chileno]

Originally Posted by Laurien

Thank you all!

English isn't a problem for me, it's something I feel. So now I'll try to think of the sentences in english first.

Again, thank you.

Correct. You'll be up and running in no time.

[Perikles]

Originally Posted by Laurien

This is confusing for me:

You use estar+gerundio when you talk about things that happen at the moment when you are speaking and for "presentamos como no definitivas o temporales".

Yet since the gerundio doesn't exist in my language, it confuses me.

If i say "I'm browsing a site." that's something i'm doing now. So according to the theorie i should use estar+gerundio. But i would just say it in simple present?

I've looked at many different sites but i can't find one thats explains it clearly.

So can someone help me understand when i should just use presente de indicativo and when estar+gerundio ?

Thank you in advance.

Well, you use English, and English and Spanish are (almost) identical in this use. The really confusing issue is that Spanish use the name gerundio for the English present participle.

Your first sentence above: "This is confusing for me" is the verb 'to be' plus present participle of 'to confuse', and Spanish does exactly the same.

This is not really a problem when you get used to it. For example, English has 3 separate forms of the present tense, whereas German (thus I assume Dutch) has only one. The continuous form is expressed in other ways. I'll give an example in German, guessing that Dutch has something similar:

I think - ich denke (= cogito)
I am thinking- ich bin dabei, das zu ueberlegen
I do think - aber ich denke doch ...

Does that help?

[Laurien]

German & dutch is slightly different yet thank you for trying to explain .

I'm just always gonna keep in mind to look at english, it makes more sense then .

Dank u!