20 Other forms of the verb and their uses
Spanish sometimes uses more than one word to express a verb form, for example
ir a+ infinitive. Such forms are often referred to as periphrastic verb forms. The
following are those most commonly used.
20.1Estar+ gerund
(a) Denoting ongoing action:
Estaba hablando con... , pero se ha cortado la comunicación.
(see 29.8)
I was speaking to... , but I got cut off.
Ahora está preparando la cena. (see 71.5)
He/she’s preparing dinner now.
Vivía en Madrid, pero ahora estoy viviendo en Zaragoza. (see 71.5)
I used to live in Madrid, but now I’m living in Zaragoza.
The imperfect is often used to refer to actions which were taking place in the past when
something else happened:
Ella estaba cocinando cuando él llegó. (see 73.10)
She was cooking when he arrived.
The preterite denotes an ongoing action within a fixed period of time:
Estuve esperando en el aeropuerto más de cuatro horas. (see 73.6)
I was waiting at the airport for more than four hours.
^73 (p. 415)
(b) Denoting prolonged action still in progress at a present moment (if used in the
perfect) or at a past moment (if used in the pluperfect):
He estado trabajando desde las 7.00. (see 73.2)
I’ve been working since seven o’clock.
Había estado trabajando desde las 7.00.
I had been working since seven o’clock.
