Lesson 36 · Lección trigésima sexta - Lección treinta y seis
Continuous in Spanish (Estar + gerundio) and the Passive Voice
Miguel contesta a las preguntas de sus amigos ...
Vocablos
| la | pregunta | question |
| conversar | to talk, to converse, to chat | |
| interrumpir | to interrupt | |
| llover | to rain | |
| inmenso, -a | immense, vast, enormous, great | |
| el | clima | climate |
| claro | clear; of course, sure | |
| hecho | made, done | |
| el | hecho | fact |
| la | temporada | season |
| el | otoño | autumn, fall |
| agradable | nice, pleasant, agreeable | |
| la | primavera | spring (season) |
| el | frío | cold; hace frío it’s cold |
| el | calor | heat, warmth; hace calor it’s warm/hot |
| el | invierno | winter |
| la | nieve | snow |
| llamarse | to be called/named | |
| el | parlamento | parliament |
| las | cortes | Cortes (Spanish parliament) |
| el | congreso | congress |
| el | diputado | deputy; representative, member of parliament |
| el | Congreso de los Diputados | Congress of Deputies |
| ¡cómo no! | of course, sure, certainly | |
| el | organismo | body |
| político, -a | political | |
| elevado | high; elevated |
Explanations
The meaning of words and expressions:
Ese traje está mal hecho.
That suit is poorly made.
Es un hecho indiscutible.
It is an indisputable fact.
The word hecho in the first sentence functions as a passive participle formed from the verb hacer (to do, to make), and it translates into English as made or done.
In the second sentence, hecho functions as a masculine noun, and it translates into English as fact.
Remember the expressions:
estar conversando
to be having a conversation, to be conversing (at the moment)
a cada momento
at every moment, every minute
va a llover
it is going to rain
claro
clear; in the meaning: I see / of course
la pregunta está mal hecha
the question is poorly asked (made)
puede Vd. decirme algo...?
can you tell me something...?
sí ¡cómo no!
yes, of course!
hace frío (calor)
it is cold (warm)
Grammar
1. The construction estar + gerundio
están conversando
they are conversing
(at the moment)
está mirando por la ventana
she is looking out the window
(at the moment)
The construction estar + gerundio indicates the continuous (progressive) form of the action. With its help you can form Present Continuous, Past Continuous or Future Continuous that are so common in English.
Examples:
Estoy leyendo la carta.
I am reading the letter (at the moment).
Juan está estudiando ahora.
Juan is studying now.
Está lloviendo.
It is raining.
Juan estuvo estudiando ayer toda la tarde.
Yesterday Juan was studying all afternoon.
Durante el paseo, Juan estaba pensando en su porvenir.
During the walk, Juan was thinking about his future.
Juan estará estudiando mañana.
Tomorrow Juan will be studying.
Instead of the verb estar, the verbs ir, seguir, venir can be used; however, the meaning of the phrases with these verbs will somewhat differ from the phrase with estar.
The construction ir + gerundio is used to stress the progression of the action, which is expressed by the second verb. It has the nuance of ‘doing something bit by bit.’ It is more emphatic than estar + gerundio. For example:
La epidemia va desarrollándose. The epidemic is gradually developing.
The construction seguir + gerundio is used to express to keep on/continue doing something in Spanish. For example:
La epidemia sigue desarrollándose. The epidemic continues to develop. / The epidemic keeps on developing.
The construction venir + gerundio is used to talk about actions in progress that have a starting point prior to the moment of speaking and this action continues to be in progress and could continue into the future. For example:
La epidemia viene desarrollándose. The epidemic has been developing.
Note:
It is important to remember that in Spanish after the verb seguir an infinitive is never used. It is replaced by a gerundio, which translates into English usually as an -ing form or an infinitive.
2. Passive Voice
El libro fue escrito por Juan.
The book was written by Juan.
In Spanish, the passive voice is formed using the personal forms of the verb ser and the passive participle of the main verb.
The passive voice can also be formed using the verb estar. Such constructions with a passive meaning occur if:
a passive participle is used in the sentence functioning as an adjective without an object, for example:
La pregunta está mal hecha.
The question is poorly asked (made).
La carta está escrita.
The letter is written.
a location or geographical position is indicated in the sentence, for example:
La casa está construida en la orilla del mar.
The house is built on the seashore.
Exercises
I. Put estar + gerundio in the appropriate form instead of the verb in the indicative mood:
Example:
Juan trabaja — Juan está trabajando.
Juan trabajará — Juan estará trabajando.
José pasea con María. José con María. El padre y el abuelo conversan. El padre y el abuelo María y Juana beben té. María y Juana té. Los chicos jugaban en la calle. Los chicos en la calle. Las niñas lloraban. Las niñas La madre bebía café. La madre café. Usted trabajará mañana todo el día. Usted mañana todo el día. ¿Hasta qué hora escucharán ustedes la música? ¿Hasta qué hora la música? María y Juana mirarán la revista de la moda y hablarán hasta la noche. María y Juana la revista de la moda y hasta la noche.
II. Translate into English:
III. Translate into Spanish: