PRESENT CONTINUOUS IN PORTUGUESE :

PRESENT PARTICIPLE (GERUND) - VERBS ENDING IN -AR, -ER, -IR:

Verbs ending in -AR, -ER, -IR form the present partiicple by dropping the infinitive ending and adding : -ANDO, -ENDO, -INDO;

1. FALAR ( to speak ) : fal + ando ( speaking )

2. ESCREVER ( to write ) : escrev + endo ( writing )

3. ABRIR ( to open ) : abr + indo ( opening )

VERBS " ESTAR " PLUS " PRESENT PARTICIPLE"

This construction is used to express an action in progress :

Estou falando com ele agora.

(I am speaking with him now.)

Ele está escrevendo neste moment.

( He is writing right now/ at this moment )

Estamos abrindo os livros

(We are opening the books )

Ref.: Learning Portuguese . Ed. Disal.