How do we form the present continuous ?

The present continuous is used to describe what is happening in that moment. To form it we use:

1. Estar in the present tense Yo estoy (I am) Tu estas(you are) El/Ella esta(he/she is) Nosotros estamos(we are) Vosotros estais(you (plural) are) Ellos/as estan (They are)
2. Then we add the present participle of the verb. If it is a verb of the first conjugation, an -AR verb we add -ando to the root of the verb. To find the root, we take off the-AR. For example: hablar(to speak) when we take off the -ar becomes habl-. We then add -ando. HABLAR becomes HABLANDO(speaking) For verbs of the second conjugation, -ER verbs we find the root by taking off the -ER and then add -iendo. For example: COMER(to eat) becomes COMIENDO(eating) For verbs of the third conjugation, -IR verbs we find the root by removing the -IR and then add -iendo. For example: VIVIR(to live) becomes VIVIENDO(living. There are some exceptions to the formation of the present continuous and these verbs should be memorised. DORMIR(to sleep)- DURMIENDO MORIR( to die)- MURIENDO MENTIR(to lie)-MINTIENDO REIR(to laugh)-RIENDO SERVIR(to serve)- SIRVIENDO Here are some examples to form the present continuous: I am playing tennis- Yo estoy jugando tenis You are learning Japanese- Tu estas aprendiendo japones. We are writing an article- Nosotros estamos escribiendo un articulo.