-ER/-IR Verbs Ending in Vowel in Spanish Past Progressive Tense

The Spanish Past Progressive Tense (Pretérito Imperfecto Progresivo) is your go-to for describing actions that were in progress in the past. But for -ER and -IR verbs whose stems end in a vowel, there’s a little spelling trick you need to know when forming the gerund – a key part of this tense.

The “Y” Rule

Here’s the rule:

• For -ER and -IR verbs ending in a vowel:
  • Add ‘y’ before the -endo ending when creating the gerund.
  • This applies to all forms of the Past Progressive Tense.

Why the Extra “Y”?

This seemingly small change serves a few purposes:

1. It stops a diphthong (two vowels blending together) from forming, keeping things clear.
2. It helps you pronounce the gerund correctly.
3. It creates a distinction between the verb’s stem and the gerund ending.

Common Verbs That Follow This Rule

Here are a few examples:

• leer (to read) → leyendo
• oír (to hear) → oyendo
• creer (to believe) → creyendo
• caer (to fall) → cayendo
• traer (to bring) → trayendo

Building the Past Progressive Tense

The Past Progressive is formed with two parts:

• Imperfect tense of “estar” (was/were)
• Gerund (the -ing form)

Examples in Action

1. Leer (to read):
   • Yo estaba leyendo un libro. (I was reading a book.)
   • Ellos estaban leyendo el periódico. (They were reading the newspaper.)
2. Oír (to hear):
   • Tú estabas oyendo música. (You were listening to music.)
   • Nosotros estábamos oyendo un podcast. (We were listening to a podcast.)
3. Creer (to believe):
   • Él estaba creyendo en sí mismo. (He was believing in himself.)
   • Vosotros estabais creyendo en el proyecto. (You all were believing in the project.)

Why It Matters

Understanding this spelling change is crucial for:

1. Pronouncing the gerund accurately.
2. Forming the Past Progressive Tense correctly.
3. Writing Spanish without errors, especially in formal situations.

Remember:

• This rule is specific to -ER and -IR verbs whose stems end in a vowel.
• Regular -AR verbs and -ER/-IR verbs ending in consonants have standard gerund formations.

Mastering these spelling changes will empower you to express ongoing actions in the past with precision and confidence.

Synonyms:

• English: Vowel-Ending -ER/-IR Verbs in Past Continuous, Imperfect Progressive, Imperfect Continuous
• Spanish: Verbos en -ER/-IR Terminados en Vocal en Pretérito Imperfecto, Copretérito, Imperfecto de Indicativo, Pretérito Progresivo, Pasado Progresivo, Pretérito Continuo