# I'm trying to learn spanish



## zeppo

I understand that in Spanish, the gerund is typically not used unless the action is actually in progress at the time.  But how about in the case of an action that is ongoing, but perhaps not at that instant.  For instance, say you are sitting down eating with someone, and the conversation drifts to your school work.  You put down your fork momentarily to say:
I'm trying to learn Spanish.​or
I'm studying Spanish.​How would you phrase these native Spanish speakers?
"Intento aprender español,"  or "Estoy intentando aprender español." ?
"Estudio español," or "Estoy estudiando español." ?

Thanks!


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## mardlaflor

You Can Say All 4 Options.
Estoy Intentando And Estoy Estudiando, Sounds To Me As A More Colloquial Way Of Expression Bu Completely Correct. Actually, The Difference Is A Slight One.
It Is Correct I Every Sense, Because You Are Referring To This Moment Of Your Life, In Which You Are Learning, EstÁs Estudiando, It Does Not Matter If You Are Not Reading Your Books In That Moment, But You Spanish Course Has Not Finished Yet.


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## mardlaflor

Sorry About My Spelling, I Was About To Go Out!!!
Have A Nice Day!!


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## Leopold

If you say: "Estoy estudiando español" or "Estoy intentando aprender español", that would mean that in this period at school you're doing that.
If you say: "Estudio español" o "Intento aprender español" that would mean that generally  (not just in this period) you study Spanish at school.

Anyway the period of time you're talking about is kind of subjective, and both forms can be used indistinctly in several contexts. I think it's the same as in English... isn't it?

Leo


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## Snowflake

zeppo said:
			
		

> I understand that in Spanish, the gerund is typically not used unless the action is actually in progress at the time. But how about in the case of an action that is ongoing, but perhaps not at that instant. For instance, say you are sitting down eating with someone, and the conversation drifts to your school work. You put down your fork momentarily to say:I'm trying to learn Spanish.
> 
> ​orI'm studying Spanish.
> 
> ​How would you phrase these native Spanish speakers?
> 
> "Intento aprender español," or "Estoy intentando aprender español." ?
> "Estudio español," or "Estoy estudiando español." ?
> 
> Thanks!


 
I think you are right. "I'm studying spanish" would be the correct one.


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## zeppo

Leopold said:
			
		

> If you say: "Estoy estudiando español" or "Estoy intentando aprender español", that would mean that in this period at school you're doing that.
> If you say: "Estudio español" o "Intento aprender español" that would mean that generally (not just in this period) you study Spanish at school.
> 
> Anyway the period of time you're talking about is kind of subjective, and both forms can be used indistinctly in several contexts. I think it's the same as in English... isn't it?
> 
> Leo


 
The examples you describe above would indeed be the same in English.  But textbooks regularly make a point to those trying to learn spanish that it is more common in spanish to use the present tense where we would use the gerund.  For instance, an example a textbook might cite;
"We're going to the movies tonight."
"Vamos al cine esta noche."
​(an avid reader says to another avid reader while they are taking a swim)
Tom: "What are you reading now?"  Joe: "War and Peace."​The spanish textbooks suggest to us that in Spanish, a more reply by Joe of "That sign that says, 'No children in the pool.'"

Textbooks always seem to guide us to use the present tense unless the action is specifically taking place at the moment, making the translation of Tom's question:
"Cual lee ahora?"​


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## Leopold

> The examples you describe above would indeed be the same in English. But textbooks regularly make a point to those trying to learn spanish that it is more common in spanish to use the present tense where we would use the gerund. For instance, an example a textbook might cite;"We're going to the movies tonight."
> "Vamos al cine esta noche."​




This is absolutely another thing. "We're going to the movies tonight"  is exactly the same as "We are going to go to the movies tonight". In fact it is an abbreviation of the latter.
When you use "to be going to + verb" (or "to be -ing" with this sense) you must use in Spanish a "perífrasis verbal" -> "ir a + verbo", which also express near or planned future.
​


> (an avid reader says to another avid reader while they are taking a swim)Tom: "What are you reading now?"  Joe: "War and Peace."​The spanish textbooks suggest to us that in Spanish, a more reply by Joe of "That sign that says, 'No children in the pool.'"
> 
> Textbooks always seem to guide us to use the present tense unless the action is specifically taking place at the moment, making the translation of Tom's question:"Cual lee ahora?"​




Absolutely not. "¿Qué estás leyendo?" (if you say "now"-"ahora" would maybe be confusing... but also in English, I think) or ¿Qué estás leyendo últimamente?", are perfect.
I could even say to someone who is reading right now in the chair in front of mine: "¿Qué lees?" or "¿Qué estás leyendo?".

Maybe in some context it is better to use one or another but generally you can use both (often depending on the question you're asked:

-¿Qué estás haciendo?
- Estoy pelando patatas. (also possible "Pelo patatas")

-¿Qué haces?
- Pelar patatas (here we avoid "pelo", but wouldn't be incorrect") [also possible: "Estoy pelando patatas", which _seems_ to be the fittest.

You should really don't worry much about that. The main difference you have to keep in mind is that when you use "to be + -ing" referring to future, you CANNOT translate directly, you have to use "ir a + inf."

I hope this is clearer now. 

Leo​


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## Akialuz

*I'm trying to learn Spanish.

or
I'm studying Spanish.*

I would say "Estoy tratando de aprender español" if I am having trouble learning the language.
And "Estoy estudiando español" if things are going better.
~Akialuz


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## Snowflake

zeppo said:
			
		

> "We're going to the movies tonight."
> 
> "Vamos al cine esta noche."
> 
> ​(an avid reader says to another avid reader while they are taking a swim)Tom: "What are you reading now?" Joe: "War and Peace."
> 
> ​The spanish textbooks suggest to us that in Spanish, a more reply by Joe of "That sign that says, 'No children in the pool.'"
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Textbooks always seem to guide us to use the present tense unless the action is specifically taking place at the moment, making the translation of Tom's question:"Cual lee ahora?"
> 
> ​



We're going to the movies tonight." 



"Vamos al cine esta noche."​In this case, in English, you are using a present continuous talking about the future. In all cases like this, we (spanish) usually use simple presente. I'll try to write some examples:

-I'm washing my car tomorrow; Voy a lavar el coche mañana.
-I'm leaving at 8:00 this afternoon. Me voy esta tarde a las 8.
-We are going to the cinema tonight: Vamos a ir al cine esta noche.

Tom: "What are you reading now?" Joe: "War and Peace."

You can perfectly translate it into spanish as ¿Qué estás leyendo? or ¿Qué lees?.


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## sendai

zeppo said:
			
		

> Textbooks always seem to guide us to use the present tense unless the action is specifically taking place at the moment, making the translation of Tom's question:"Cual lee ahora?"​



While it's true that Spanish uses the present progressive less than in English, it is used in the cases you mention. Here are two cases that you want to avoid using it:

1. When talking about the future, we often use the progressive in English. Don't do this in Spanish.

I'm leaving for Hawaii tomorrow.
She's swimming 2 miles in the next race.
I'm having a party next week.
 
2. When talking about states (as opposed to actions). Coloquial speech in English sometimes using the progressive in this case. It's better to avoid this in Spanish.

I'm thinking that we should go now.
I'm wanting to talk to her.
We're having to do it more often nowadays.
 ​


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## duder

Leopold said:
			
		

> -¿Qué estás haciendo?
> - Estoy pelando patatas. (also possible "Pelo patatas")
> 
> -¿Qué haces?
> - Pelar patatas (here we avoid "pelo", but wouldn't be incorrect") [also possible: "Estoy pelando patatas", which _seems_ to be the fittest.​



What about something like this:

_- ¿Qué estás haciendo?
- Leyendo este libro._ (without "estoy")

Is this common? Acceptable? Thanks.


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## norbelys

necesito  saber la familia estas palabras trace, hay ,skate, lake, grace, ate ,kate, day, may jake, lace, make, jay, bay, cake, say, wake, date, space,bake gate, race, face, late, y





			
				duder said:
			
		

> What about something like this:
> 
> _- ¿Qué estás haciendo?_
> _- Leyendo este libro._ (without "estoy")
> 
> Is this common? Acceptable? Thanks.


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## Akialuz

norbelys said:
			
		

> necesito saber la familia estas palabras trace, hay ,skate, lake, grace, ate ,kate, day, may jake, lace, make, jay, bay, cake, say, wake, date, space,bake gate, race, face, late, y


 
¿A qué te refieres con "la familia"?  Esas tienen algo en común y es que todas se pronuncian con la "long vowel" _a._
Creo que debiste haber hecho tu propio "hilo" (thread).
  Akialuz


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## Leopold

duder said:
			
		

> What about something like this:
> 
> _- ¿Qué estás haciendo?
> - Leyendo este libro._ (without "estoy")
> 
> Is this common? Acceptable? Thanks.



Yes, it's perfect.

Leo


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## zeppo

Thanks all!  I think a little bit more spanish grammar has just sunk in to the old noggin.


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## omeyas

- Pelar patatas (here we avoid "pelo", but wouldn't be incorrect") [also possible: "Estoy pelando patatas", which _seems_ to be the fittest.

_Leo, "seems to be the most appropriate/suitable"  Not "fittest" here, that means the healthiest, the most fit. _

You should really don't worry much about that. 

_You really shouldn't worry too much..._

Leo
[/indent][/QUOTE]


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## Leopold

omeyas said:
			
		

> - Pelar patatas (here we avoid "pelo", but wouldn't be incorrect") [also possible: "Estoy pelando patatas", which _seems_ to be the fittest.
> 
> _Leo, "seems to be the most appropriate/suitable"  Not "fittest" here, that means the healthiest, the most fit. _
> 
> You should really don't worry much about that.
> 
> _You really shouldn't worry too much..._
> 
> Leo
> [/indent]


[/QUOTE]

Thank you very much, omeyas. I really appreciate when you correct me, guys. Don't be shy.

Leo


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## omeyas

Thank you very much, omeyas. I really appreciate when you correct me, guys. Don't be shy.

Leo[/QUOTE]

¡De nada! Por eso estamos, ¿no?    Estaría muy felíz si my español fuera tan bueno como tu inglés.   

Frank


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## norbelys

gracias por responderme pero lo que necesito saber en si , que pagina puedo buscar para hacer oraciones o traducciones de ingles a espanol es que tengo una niña que esta en kindergarden y todas las tareas por supuesto se la manda en ingle y yo no se mucho ingles si me pudes ayudar te lo agradecere





			
				Akialuz said:
			
		

> ¿A qué te refieres con "la familia"? Esas tienen algo en común y es que todas se pronuncian con la "long vowel" _a._
> Creo que debiste haber hecho tu propio "hilo" (thread).
> Akialuz


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## Akialuz

norbelys said:
			
		

> gracias por responderme pero lo que necesito saber en si , que pagina puedo buscar para hacer oraciones o traducciones de ingles a espanol es que tengo una niña que esta en kindergarden y todas las tareas por supuesto se la manda en ingle y yo no se mucho ingles si me pudes ayudar te lo agradecere


 
Hola y perdona,
Si, la página para buscar palabras en el diccionario en línea es:
http://www.wordreference.com/
Y aquí en el foro hay muy buenas peronas q pueden ayudar. (me incluyo)
¡Suerte!
Akialuz


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## americangirl21

I think that all those sound good and professional.
"Estoy estudiando Espanol" sounds simple and good


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## Bilbo Baggins

In Spanish, the present tense can mean one of three things usually: "Hablo" = "I speak", "I do speak", and "I am speaking" (these days, or lately) 
In Spanish, the present progressive tenses are usually used to describe actions that are taking place as the conversation is taking place i.e. the immediate present. For example: "What are doing?" "Estoy estudiando español." "I am studying Spanish" (right now as we speak).
Also, Sendai brought up a good point (way back in post 10). You can't use verbs of state or condition progressively in Spanish. For instance, you can't say: "Estoy teniendo" "I am having" or "Estoy sabiendo" "I am knowing." Those are verbs of condition and are never used progressively. "Action" verbs, however, are used all the time: "Estoy corriendo." I am running."


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## San

Bilbo Baggins said:


> In Spanish, the present tense can mean one of three things usually: "Hablo" = "I speak", "I do speak", and "I am speaking" (these days, or lately)
> In Spanish, the present progressive tenses are usually used to describe actions that are taking place as the conversation is taking place i.e. the immediate present. For example: "What are doing?" "Estoy estudiando español." "I am studying Spanish" (right now as we speak).
> Also, Sendai brought up a good point (way back in post 10). You can't use verbs of state or condition progressively in Spanish. For instance, you can't say: "Estoy teniendo" "I am having" or "Estoy sabiendo" "I am knowing." Those are verbs of condition and are never used progressively. "Action" verbs, however, are used all the time: "Estoy corriendo." I am running."



Hi Bilbo,

As people said, you have two options when it comes to translating sentences like "_I'm learning Spanish"_. But, the first thing you have to consider is that it doesn't matter at all whether you refer to right now or just to lately. The second is that, usually, and despite what learners normaly think,  the progressive form is often a more natural translation. Why? Well, because, the present in that cases can sound very unnatural, I mean unnatural in speech, cause is something more literary. Not always, of course, but it is probably difficult to catch for a learner. I think the progressive form is a safer translation. It's colloquial, but not too much.

Ah, and there is nothing wrong with "_teniendo_" or "_sabiendo_" by the way.


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## Ynez

¿Qué ejemplo se te ha ocurrido con "sabiendo" San? A mí no se me ocurre ninguno. Aunque, bueno, creo que en inglés tampoco es que sea normal decir "I am knowing".

Con "teniendo" se me ocurre:

Estoy teniendo una mala racha.


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## San

Ynez said:


> ¿Qué ejemplo se te ha ocurrido con "sabiendo" San? A mí no se me ocurre ninguno. Aunque, bueno, creo que en inglés tampoco es que sea normal decir "I am knowing".
> 
> Con "teniendo" se me ocurre:
> 
> Estoy teniendo una mala racha.



Tienes razón, estoy sabiendo es un poco raro, pero con otras contrucciones sería bastante más normal, ¿no? por ejemplo ir sabiendo, nacer sabiendo, o simplemente sabiendo.

En cualquier caso, ahí van dos ejemplos:

_No estoy sabiendo responder a las expectativas.
No lo estoy sabiendo hacer bien._


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## Ynez

Sí, parece que hay usos excepcionales, como imagino será en inglés también. Los verbos que no se suelen utilizar en inglés en la forma -ing, en español tampoco se usan normalmente en la forma progresiva.


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## Prometo

"Sabiendo lo que sé, no debería equivocarme tanto."

"Teniendo en cuenta lo mucho que me amas, te voy a perdonar."


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## Prometo

Zeppo,

Akialuz, post # 8, es una buena respuesta.

Americangirl, post # 21, no lo es

SIEMPRE es preferible en español tratar de no traducir la terminación -ING con -NDO

"Estudio castellano" aún si estás en la clase de español en ese mismo instante.

Hay muy pocas excepciones: ("No fumes, que estoy comiendo, imbécil.") y ocurren cuando el factor tiempo es de suma importancia... es decir, "Voy a dejar de comer pronto y entonces podrás fumar, mi alma."


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