The Present Continuous in Brazilian Portuguese

In Brazilian Portuguese, the present continuous tense is a very common structure used to describe actions that are happening right now, or actions that started in the past and are still ongoing. Here is a clear guide on how to form and use it.

1. How to Form the Present Continuous

To form this tense, you combine two parts: the auxiliary (helper) verb estar (to be) conjugated in the present indicative, and the gerund of your main verb.

Step 1: Conjugate the verb estar

• Eu estou (I am)
• Você / Ele / Ela está (You are / He is / She is)
• Nós estamos (We are)
• Vocês / Eles / Elas estão (You all are / They are)

Step 2: Form the Gerund

To create the gerund of the main verb, simply drop the final -r from the infinitive form of the verb and add -ndo to the end.

• falar (to speak) → falando (speaking)
• comer (to eat) → comendo (eating)
• dormir (to sleep) → dormindo (sleeping)

2. When to Use the Present Continuous

Usage A: Actions happening right now

Just like in English, this tense is perfectly suited for describing ongoing current actions or things occurring at the exact moment of speaking.

• Estou procurando emprego no momento. (I'm looking for a job at the moment.)
• Eles estão comendo agora. (They are eating right now.)

Usage B: Actions that started in the past and continue into the present

This is a major difference between Portuguese and English. While English typically relies on the present perfect continuous tense ("have been doing") for an action that started in the past and is still continuing, Brazilian Portuguese simply uses the present continuous.

• Estou te esperando já há meia hora. (I've been waiting for you for half an hour already.)
• Nós estamos morando aqui desde o ano passado. (We have been living here since last year.)