Confused about multiple uses of the present tenseHello,
There have been a number of questions in different topic areas along the lines of “Why don’t we use the present progressive tense for such and such an example in Spanish when the English translation is in the present progressive tense?” An example might be “Compro unas playeras” being translated as “I am buying some t-shirts”.
The answer that the instructors give is usually along the lines of, the Spanish present tense can often be translated as the present progressive tense in English.
In addition, I rarely hear the present progressive tense being used from day to day here in Mexico. Google AI agrees with me:
"In Mexican Spanish, the present indicative (voy) is significantly more common for everyday use than the present progressive (estoy yendo). While both can describe actions happening in the moment, the simple present is the "default" choice in most social contexts."
In the kwiz questions I keep answering using the present tense, just out of habit. It's not that I don't know how to use the present progressive tense, it's just that I'm not used to hearing it. This habiit is so strong that sometimes I even miss the instructions.
So maybe the present tense answers shouldn't always be marked wrong, and trigger words such as "en este momento" should be used more often? Also, maybe this idea could be added to the above lesson.
PS You may wonder why I'm studying level A1 if I already speak Spanish daily. It is because I want to strengthen my foundation and in general Kwiziq has been invaluable with this.
"la agencia" is singular. So why "tienen" coches. What not "tiene". Is this just the (poor) way people speak? For example they refer to a team as "they" instead of "it"?
Hello,
There have been a number of questions in different topic areas along the lines of “Why don’t we use the present progressive tense for such and such an example in Spanish when the English translation is in the present progressive tense?” An example might be “Compro unas playeras” being translated as “I am buying some t-shirts”.
The answer that the instructors give is usually along the lines of, the Spanish present tense can often be translated as the present progressive tense in English.
In addition, I rarely hear the present progressive tense being used from day to day here in Mexico. Google AI agrees with me:
"In Mexican Spanish, the present indicative (voy) is significantly more common for everyday use than the present progressive (estoy yendo). While both can describe actions happening in the moment, the simple present is the "default" choice in most social contexts."
In the kwiz questions I keep answering using the present tense, just out of habit. It's not that I don't know how to use the present progressive tense, it's just that I'm not used to hearing it. This habiit is so strong that sometimes I even miss the instructions.
So maybe the present tense answers shouldn't always be marked wrong, and trigger words such as "en este momento" should be used more often? Also, maybe this idea could be added to the above lesson.
PS You may wonder why I'm studying level A1 if I already speak Spanish daily. It is because I want to strengthen my foundation and in general Kwiziq has been invaluable with this.
Would it be more correct to change this sample sentence:
"Puede que yo haya sido un poco brusca, pero tenía que decir la verdad."
Vs.
"Puede que yo haya ESTADO un poco brusca....."? \
Thanks for your input.
Puedo usar el futuro simples en esta oracione? "En la reunión, vamos a hablar de nuevas tecnologías y vamos a intercambiar ideas." Podria decir: "hablaremos de nuevas tecnologias y intercambiaremos ideas"?
Shouldn't be: "había objetos de ESTE metal."?
customer: quiero un café.
me: qué tamaño?
customer: pequeño por favor.
(the coffee shop in question has creative names for its sizes, so I often hold up a cup to clarify. :p)
me, holding up a small cup: cómo esto?
my understanding is that since the phrase "like this?" doesn't contain a noun after "this," then "esto" should be used. but technically we've been talking about "el tamaño," so is "este" correct instead? I've never been able to find something explain this exact scenario. 😅
Alicia, ¿a qué hora te ducha por la mañana?
I have read this lesson and i think that stating that the tense of the verb following has to be the past participle would clear the confusion.
Find your Spanish level for FREE
And get your personalised Study Plan to improve it
Find your Spanish level