Regular -AR verbs, the most common type of verbs in Spanish, follow a simple and consistent pattern in the past progressive tense.
Forming the Gerund of Regular -AR Verbs
To create the gerund (the -ing form in English), remove the “-ar” ending from the infinitive and add “-ando.”
- Example: Caminar (to walk) → Caminando (walking)
- Example: Bailar (to dance) → Bailando (dancing)
- Example: Cantar (to sing) → Cantando (singing)
Constructing the Past Progressive Tense
Combine the gerund with the imperfect tense of the verb “estar” (to be) to form the past progressive tense:
| Pronoun | Estar (Imperfect) | Gerund (Example: Caminar) | Past Progressive |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yo | estaba | caminando | estaba caminando |
| Tú | estabas | caminando | estabas caminando |
| Él/Ella/Usted | estaba | caminando | estaba caminando |
| Nosotros/Nosotras | estábamos | caminando | estábamos caminando |
| Vosotros/Vosotras | estabais | caminando | estabais caminando |
| Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes | estaban | caminando | estaban caminando |
Examples:
- “Yo estaba trabajando en el proyecto.” (I was working on the project.)
- “Ella estaba escuchando música.” (She was listening to music.)
- “Nosotros estábamos jugando al fútbol.” (We were playing soccer.)
Synonyms
- English: Regular -AR Past Continuous, Imperfect Progressive, Continuing Past, Ongoing Past Verbs
- Spanish: Verbos Regulares en -AR en Pretérito Imperfecto Progresivo