# FR: present progressive - être en train de + infinitif



## erin616

How do you say that you are in the process of doing something?
can you use "etre en train de...."
For ex. 
I am swimming *not* I swim
I am running *not *I run
I am eating *not* I eat

Merci Beaucoup


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## NYCPrincesse

I think that the present tense usually implies (in the process of).  For example, "Je nage" can be taken to mean "I am swimming" and not just, "I swim".  If you want to convey a real sense of immediacy you can say, "J'etait en train de nager quand tu m'as appele."


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## frenchaudrey

I agree with what as been said.
You can say "être en train de" if you really want to insist on the fact that you're in the middle of the process or if you are interrupted (let's say) in the middle of it.
For example if you're eating and someone calls you and asks "Do you want to go to the restaurant ?" you would answer "non merci, je suis en train de manger".

Hope this helps


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## eddiemel7778

Hi there! How are you all? I have a question. Is "En train de" the same as Present simple continuous? For instance.

I am reading my English book now.
Je suis en train de lire mon livre d'anglais maintenant.

Do you call this structure in French "Le présent continu" ou "forme gerondive" ?

Thanks.


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## Fred_C

eddiemel7778 said:


> Do you call this structure in French "Le présent continu" ou "forme gerondive" ?


No, because unlike in English, it is not a tense.
It is just a phrase (not required) to emphasize the fact that you are doing it _*now*_.
If you omit the adverb "maintenant", you can answer the question like : "Je suis en train de lire mon livre" or just (as you like) "Je lis mon livre".
In English, it is not a case where you can freely choose between the simple present and the continuous present.


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## ejg7191

I thought *être en train* meant *to be busy *doing something

Par exemple, je suis en train de laver ma voiture...I am busy washing my car (right now, obviously)


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## jprr

Right,
je suis en train de laver ma voiture = I am washing my car (right now, obviously, and certainly somewhat busy doing that )

Ce n'est pas réservé au présent:
J'étais en train de laver ma voiture = I was washing my car

Le *sens* est bien celui de la forme progressive qui n'existe pas en français.
Du fait même du sens de *continuité*, on ne peut pas l'utiliser avec des temps qui impliquent un sens contraire (passé simple en particulier): je fus en train de laver ma voiture


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## Fred_C

Good explanation. And like the English phrase "To be busy doing something", it is not a tense.


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## ka_

Salut!

what's the main difference between these sentences?

J'apprends le français 
Je suis en train de apprendre le français  (I've noticed that this one is more common,but some people say that the first one is prefered,why?)

When should I use each one?


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## guillaumedemanzac

*d'apprendre* with an apostrophe - I think it depends who is talking and how/why they are learning.
A student could say factually: I'm learning French = it's on the syllabus and that's what I am doing this year.
An adult would be more likely to say "I've got a new job and so I've just started learning French" - because I'm going to need it.
*Je suis en train de *is difficult to translate but it implies that I have just started a language course and I am *in the act of *learning French. (Don't use that phrase in English as it is correct but sounds most unnatural!)


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## selane

"Je suis entrain de" correspond à la forme "ing" anglaise, donc, "je suis entrain d'apprendre" c'est ce que je suis entrain de faire maintenant, "I am learning"
alors que "j'apprends", ne marque pas le présent, on est pas forcément entrain de le faire maintenant. c'est une actualité.


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## cigogne

Hi,

Is there any difference between 
"Je regarde la télé." and "Je suis en train de regarder la télé."
"J'écoute la musique." and "Je suis en train d'écouter la musique."
...?

Thank you?


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## All in One

The simple present can mean I do (as a habit) as well as I am doing (right now).
The construction with _en train de _can only mean the latter - I am doing, I'm in the middle / process of doing, etc.

_Je regarde la télé tous les soirs. 
Je regarde la télé en ce moment = Je suis en train de regarder la télé. 
Je suis en train de regarder la télé tous les soirs. _


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## cigogne

Thank you! Is this the only difference? Which one is more commonly used, in case they have the same meaning?


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## All in One

When you're describing what you're doing at the moment, I'd say both are used but the simple present is more common since it's, well, more simple  This being said, you don't need an adverb of time with _en train de_.


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## Xutonio

guillaumedemanzac said:


> *Je suis en train de *is difficult to translate but it implies that I have just started a language course and I am *in the act of *learning French. (Don't use that phrase in English as it is correct but sounds most unnatural!)



Hi all, some time passed but I will try to ask anyways...there's something I don't quite get.
To my experience the _be + -ing_ form can describe something going on *now* or in this undefined on-going *period of time*. Like_ "I am learning (or studying) English", _not just because I just interrupted the activity, but because it's an on-going process of this period. Correct?

How is it like in French then? Can the sentence _"Je suis en train d'apprendre Francais_" be similarly used to describe the period (like this unfinished period of few months)?

Thanks


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## Maître Capello

Yes, you can also use it in French:

_Je suis en train d'apprendre le français_.


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## guillaumedemanzac

But French has a different present tense J'apprends le français - which means I am learning French. You can't in English say "I learn French" without adding something e.g "I learn French because I have to do a language at school".  or "I learn French because it is the most useful foreign language to learn."
"I am learning French" is the continuous because it means you started some time ago and are still doing it now and plan to continue for some time (undefined).
"Je suis en train de" always means at this actual moment so you can't equate it with "I am learning French" - it means something like: "I'm just about to learn" or "I'm just starting to learn" e.g. "I am studying / learning French in this lesson so I can't answer the phone" or maybe "I'm learning French and have no time to learn Spanish and it would be difficult as I would mix up the two languages."
  As I said "I'm in the actual act of learning French" is accurate but sounds very Franglais.  Context is all important here for the very fine distinctions between these three present tense forms.
"I'm learning French this year because I have to go to Paris for a company project in co-operation with Aerospatial."
"Students learn French in their third and fourth years with the option of switching to or adding Spanish in the fifth year."
"I'm just about to learn all my French irregular verbs for a test this week."


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## Xutonio

The distinction is quite clear to me in English.
But then, when it comes to French, would you have any other form of expressing _"Je suis en train d'apprendre le français cet an_" [This year I'm learning French] in the uninterrupted shade of it?
Would you prefer to use "_J'apprend le français cet an_" or some other expressions?


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## guillaumedemanzac

Don't check with me. I'm English.
I would say in that example "Je vais apprendre le français cette année" = future plan = all year long.
Past "j'ai appris le français l'an dernier." = finished.  "Cette année, je vais apprendre l'espagnol." future.


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## FreddieFirebird

If I am currently reading a book, but I am not literally reading at this exact second, can I still use être en train de or is present better?
Je suis en train de lire ___
Je lis __

Sorry if I should have made a new thread, but this one seemed for general information. I read quite a few and didn't see what I needed.


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## Maître Capello

Yes, just like in English, you may say that even though you are not actually reading the book at this very moment.

_Je suis en train de lire ce livre_ = I'm reading this book (not necessarily right now, but, say, every evening)



guillaumedemanzac said:


> "Je suis en train de" always means at this actual moment


 I'm afraid this is not correct.


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