Estar + Gerund in Portuguese: How to Say What You’re Doing Now — Practice

Build the pattern with estar plus a gerund

To focus on an action happening now, Brazilian Portuguese commonly uses a form of estar plus a gerund: estou estudando (I am studying), está chovendo (it is raining), and estamos esperando (we are waiting). The first word changes to match the subject; the gerund stays the same. This is similar to English “be + -ing” in many everyday situations.

The pattern can also describe a temporary action in progress around the present. It is one useful way to talk about what someone is doing, but Portuguese may use the simple present in places where English uses the present continuous. Listen to the full sentence and learn which form fits the intended meaning.

Form gerunds from -ar, -er, and -ir verbs

For most regular verbs, replace -ar with -ando: falar becomes falando, estudar becomes estudando, and trabalhar becomes trabalhando. Replace -er or -ir with -endo or -indo: comer becomes comendo, aprender becomes aprendendo, and abrir becomes abrindo. Keep the ending on the main verb and conjugate estar separately.

This makes a reusable formula: subject + estar form + gerund. For example, você está falando and vocês estão falando differ in the form of estar, not in falando. Pronouns are common in learner examples; in real conversation, the subject may be clear from context.

Choose estar by subject, then make it negative or a question

The common forms are estou, está, estamos, and estão for eu, você/ele/ela/a gente, nós, and vocês/eles/elas. To make a negative sentence, put não before estar: Não estou trabalhando hoje (I’m not working today). To ask a question, use the same word order with a questioning tone or a question word: Você está esperando quem? (Who are you waiting for?).

Remember that a gente takes está: a gente está estudando. A common learner error is to use estão because a gente means “we.” Treat a gente as a singular grammatical subject and the form becomes predictable.

Describe a scene instead of translating word by word

Look at a photo or the room around you and describe three actions: what you are doing, what another person is doing, and what is happening outside. Then change one sentence into a question or a negative statement. This turns the grammar pattern into a short speaking drill you can repeat anywhere.

For a contrast with states and locations, review the Real Life Portuguese guide to ser vs. estar. This article focuses on estar followed by an action verb. Listening to short clips from I Speak Portuguese can help you hear how the pattern flows in connected speech, especially when estar is pronounced informally.

Remember: Conjugate estar for the subject, then add the gerund: estou falando, você está falando, vocês estão falando. Put não before estar to make the sentence negative.

Check your understanding

Choose the English meaning of each Portuguese example. Answer before looking back at the tables. These questions check the written examples in this guide; they are not a listening or proficiency test.

Recall the Portuguese, then say it

Read the English prompt and say a Portuguese version before opening the answer. The answer shows the example from the lesson; other natural translations may also work. Compare the meaning and the situation rather than counting a different word as automatically wrong.

1. I’m learning Portuguese.

   Show a Portuguese answer

   Estou aprendendo português.

2. She is making dinner.

   Show a Portuguese answer

   Ela está preparando o jantar.

3. We are waiting for the bus.

   Show a Portuguese answer

   A gente está esperando o ônibus.

4. We’re talking about the trip.

   Show a Portuguese answer

   Estamos falando sobre a viagem.

5. Are you eating now?

   Show a Portuguese answer

   Você está comendo agora?

6. They are opening the windows.

   Show a Portuguese answer

   Eles estão abrindo as janelas.

Make the phrase useful to you

Choose one example you could actually use. Say it once from memory, then change one detail that fits your life, such as the person, place, time, or object. Check whether your change also needs a different verb form, article, or adjective ending. If it does, compare it with the pattern in the explanation.

Conjugate estar for the subject, then add the gerund: estou falando, você está falando, vocês estão falando. Put não before estar to make the sentence negative.

Return to two prompts tomorrow without opening the answers first. If a phrase still feels difficult, shorten it to a useful chunk and build the complete sentence again.

Sources and your next lesson

This I Speak Portuguese practice guide builds on our Estar + Gerund in Portuguese: How to Say What You’re Doing Now lesson on Real Life Portuguese, with written recall tasks and additional speaking practice. The explanations and examples are teaching material; the practice questions are exercises, not a transcript of a recording.

To add Brazilian audio to your routine, choose a lesson in the Real Life Portuguese app. The app offers its own lessons and practice; this page does not imply that every example here has an app recording.