Question
Updated on
26 Oct 2020
- English (US)
-
Spanish (Mexico)
Question about Spanish (Mexico)
When do you use the present tense vs the continuous. I know there is a difference but I have seen the present tense mean "ing" in english.
For example, I have seen "como" be used in place of "estoy comiendo" to mean I am eating.
Are there any rules for this, or is one more common than the other?
When do you use the present tense vs the continuous. I know there is a difference but I have seen the present tense mean "ing" in english.
For example, I have seen "como" be used in place of "estoy comiendo" to mean I am eating.
Are there any rules for this, or is one more common than the other?
For example, I have seen "como" be used in place of "estoy comiendo" to mean I am eating.
Are there any rules for this, or is one more common than the other?
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- Spanish (Mexico)
Present continuous is much, MUCH more common.
Yes, "estoy comiendo" and "como" mean the same thing, but in the majority of the cases, no one would choose to say the latter.
We normally use present tense in a different way. I don't actually know how to explain this so I will put an example.
"Voy al trabajo, vuelvo a casa, como, duermo, y mañana repito lo mismo. No tengo vida."
"I go to work, go back home, eat, sleep, and tomorrow I repeat the same thing. I have no life."
You see, either in Spanish or English it's present tense but it's not like it's happening in this exact moment.
When something is happening in this moment, the vast majority of the times it's much better to stick to the present continuous form.
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- English (US)
- Spanish (Mexico)
I eat, yo como, como.
Yo como nueces durante los meses de marzo y abril.
+++
I'm eating, yo estoy comiendo.
Yo estoy comiendo nueces en este momento. Ahora mismo, no mañana ni en abril.
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