PERÍFRASIS DURATIVA

 

The Diccionario de dudas of the RAE defines the perífrasis durativa as one that "... representa la acción en el curso de su desarrollo." It is formed with the auxiliary verb estar plus the gerund of the main verb. Estoy comiendo patatas is a good example of an action taking place at the moment. This structure corresponds to the English progressive (or continuous) form, which likewise describes an ongoing action in time: I am eating potatoes.

So, what's the problem? The problem is that speakers in Spain are increasingly using this perífrasis durativa in contexts where the simple present should be used. For example:

• No le estoy entendiendo instead of the more traditional and correct no le entiendo

• Estoy yendo a casa instead of voy a casa

• ¿Me estás oyendo? instead of ¿me oyes?

This shift may reflect the influence of English, where the progressive aspect is more widely used. Even so, English still maintains a distinction: Do you understand me? vs. Are you resting or sleeping?

Will the Spanish simple present eventually be replaced by the progressive form? Will a man someday say to a girl: me estás gustando instead of me gustas?