The present progressive is used in order to speak about events that are happenig right now.

In English we have a present progressive tense as do the Italians!

For example
I am speaking
she is talking
we are listening
etc.

Here's how you do it:

First, you take the present tense of the verb "Stare" and then you add the present participle.

Stare = to be
sto = I am
stai = you are
sta = he/she is
stiamo = we are
state = you are (plural)
stanno = they are

To form a present participle you start from the infinitive, chop off the last three letters and then add the letters "ando"

for example:

I am speaking = Sto parlando.

Sto = I am. The verb parlare = to speak. I cut off the "are" and added "ando" = parlando. Then I put "Sto" and "parlando" together to form Sto parlando. = I am speaking.

Let's try another:

We are swimming= Stiamo nuotando.

Nuotare is the verb to swim
I cut off the "are"
then I added "ando"
I ended up with nuotando = swimming
then I added "stiamo" to "nuotando" = Stiamo nuotando = we are swimming.

Next time I will show you (unless Villa beats me to it ) how to do the present progressive with ere and ire verbs.

I have to go!

Ciao,

Giacomo

"Next time I will show you (unless Villa beats me to it ) how to do the present progressive with ere and ire verbs." LOL!

Go right ahead G. You can handle my light work.

Ma(mah), però(pay-ROW), one very good suggestion is to take this information and put it
on index cards and then carry those index cards around in you front shirt pocket. Take them out and study them at every chance you get. Do it now.

Just as an example:

Parlare - To speak - Future tense.

Io parlerò (parr-lay-ROW) --------- noi parleremo (parr-lay-RAY-moe)

tu parlerai (parr-lay-RYE) --------- voi parlarete (parr-lah-RAY-tay)

lui, lei, Lei parlerà (Lay parr-lay-RAH)--loro parlaranno (LOW-roh parr-lah-RAHN-no)

Do this with any Italian verb tenses or any Italian language info
you want to learn.

Your light work????

Sto scherzando Joe. (Stowe skirt-ZAH-doh)

Comunque, what do you think of the index card idea?

Sto scherzando!!!! It's a present progressive!! I like it. Index cards are good. I make my students do them for homework all the time.

"Index cards are good. I make my students do them for homework all the time." [/QUOTE]

Anch'io Joe.

anche - also, too - anch'io (on-KEY-oh) or (anh-KEY-oh) - me too - not "anche io"

I'm not Joe

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Dimmi con chi vai e ti dirò chi sei.