Today we’ll learn how to say that we are still doing something, that we keep doing something or go on doing something. In one word, we’ll see how to create progressive forms in Spanish, and, in particular, progressive forms with the verb SEGUIR, which is not the only verb you use to make progressive forms with. Another common verb used to this end is ESTAR, but it’s used in a slightly different way, so, let’s concentrate on the forms with the verb SEGUIR only.
The Basic Meaning of the Verb SEGUIR
Let’s start with the basic meaning of the verb SEGUIR. If used on its own, it means TO FOLLOW. Here are some examples:
– ¿Me sigues?
– Are you following me?
– Yo sigo todos tus pasos.
– I follow your every step.
– Pues, voy a llegar primero, seguido de un desconocido.
– So, I’m going to arrive first, followed by a stranger.
As you can see, the forms of the verb SEGUIR are irregular. So, let’s have a look at them next.
Declension of the verb SEGUIR
The verb SEGUIR is slightly irregular in some tenses. It follows the declension pattern where E is replaced by I in some of the forms. It’s regular in Imperfect and Future tenses.
Present Tense
Here’s the declension in Present Tense.
| yo | sigo |
| tú | sigues |
| él/ella/Ud. | sigue |
| nosotros/nosotras | seguimos |
| vosotros/vosotras | seguís |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | siguen |
Preterite Tense
The verb SEGUIR is also slightly irregular in Preterite Tense, which is one of the past tenses. Here are the forms:
| yo | seguí |
| tú | seguiste |
| él/ella/Ud. | siguió |
| nosotros/nosotras | seguimos |
| vosotros/vosotras | seguisteis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | siguieron |
Progressive Forms
We use the verb SEGUIR to make progressive forms. It’s followed by a Gerund, so:
seguir + Gerund = to keep doing sth, to be still doing sth
Gerund Forms
In Spanish the Gerund forms are made by adding the suffix -ANDO to verbs ending in -AR and -IENDO to verbs ending in -ER or -IR:
gritando – shouting
beber – to drink
bebiendo – drinking
salir – to leave
saliendo – leaving
Examples
Here are some examples in Present Tense:
Veo que sigues llorando, amigo.
I can see, you’re still crying, my friend.
Yo sigo gritando.
I’m still shouting.
Es porque sigue lloviendo.
This is because it keeps raining.
¿Dónde está el sol? Seguimos esperando.
Where is the sun? We’re still waiting.
Y seguís cantando.
And you go on singing.
Siguen cantando y esperando.
They’re still singing and waiting.
And here are some examples in Preterite Tense:
El papá siguió reparando el tejado. Dad was still repairing the roof.
Yo seguí mirándolo. I kept looking at him. Los otros obreros siguieron haciendo otras cosas. The other workers went on doing other things.
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