What is the progressive form?
Stare + gerundio says that something is happening right now, like the English progressive I am doing. Only stare is conjugated (sto, stai, sta, stiamo, state, stanno); the gerund never changes. The auxiliary is always stare, never essere: Sto lavorando, not Sono lavorando.
The blueprint
Sto parlando al telefono.
I am speaking on the phone.
Sta piovendo.
It is raining.
Forming the gerund
Drop the infinitive ending, then add -ando for verbs in -are and -endo for verbs in -ere and -ire. The common verbs fare, bere and dire are irregular.
| Infinitive | Gerund | Note |
|---|---|---|
| parlare | parlando | -are → -ando |
| leggere | leggendo | -ere → -endo |
| dormire | dormendo | -ire → -endo |
| fare | facendo | irregular |
| bere | bevendo | irregular |
| dire | dicendo | irregular |
Infinitive → gerund
What the progressive is for
Right now
Something is happening at this very moment. Negate it with non before stare.
Cosa stai facendo?
What are you doing?
Sto preparando la cena.
I am making dinner.
Non sto lavorando.
I am not working right now.
Current phase
Something is going on during this period, not necessarily at this exact moment.
Sto imparando l'italiano.
I am learning Italian.
Maria sta studiando per l'esame.
Maria is studying for the exam.
Progressive or present?
Italian uses the progressive less often than English. The simple present is used for habits and general statements, and also for the future: Parto domani, not Sto partendo domani. The present can mean “right now” too; the progressive just stresses that it is happening at this moment.
Progressive (right now)
Sto leggendo un libro.
I am reading a book (now).
Present (general)
Leggo molti libri.
I read a lot of books.
