What Are You Doing in Spanish? A Guide to Talking About Your Actions

Introduction

When learning a new language, one of the first things that you need to learn is how to talk about what you are doing. This is especially true when learning Spanish, which is spoken by millions of people around the world. In this article, we’ll explore what you are doing in Spanish and provide a guide on how to talk about your actions in the language.

Explaining What You Are Doing in Spanish

The phrase “what are you doing?” is one of the most common ways to start a conversation in any language. In Spanish, the phrase is “¿Qué estás haciendo?” (pronounced kay es-tahs ah-see-ehn-doh). It’s important to note that the verb “estar” (ah-stahr) is used instead of “ser” (sayr), which is used to describe more permanent states like nationality or occupation.

In addition to knowing how to ask “what are you doing?” in Spanish, it’s also important to know how to answer the question. The most common way to answer the question is with the verb “hacer” (ah-sehr). This verb can mean “to do” or “to make” depending on the context. For example, if someone asked you “¿Qué estás haciendo?” you could answer “Estoy haciendo mi tarea” (I am doing my homework).

A Guide to Talking About What You Are Doing in Spanish

When talking about what you are doing in Spanish, it’s important to use the correct verb tense. The present progressive tense (also known as the present continuous tense) is used to express actions that are happening right now. The verb “estar” is conjugated in the present progressive tense to express what you are doing. For example, if you wanted to say “I am eating dinner” in Spanish, you would say “Estoy comiendo la cena” (pronounced es-toy koh-mee-ehn-doh lah seh-nah).

In addition to the present progressive tense, there are other verb tenses that are often used to talk about what you are doing in Spanish. The present simple tense (also known as the present indicative tense) is used to express actions that happen regularly. For example, if you wanted to say “I eat breakfast every morning” in Spanish, you would say “Como desayuno todas las mañanas” (pronounced koh-moh deh-sah-yoo-noh toh-dahs lahs mah-nyah-nahs).

The past tense is also often used to talk about what you did in the past. For example, if you wanted to say “I ate lunch yesterday” in Spanish, you would say “Ayer comí almuerzo” (pronounced ah-yehr koh-mee ahl-mwehr-soh). It’s important to note that the past tense is often used to talk about events that happened in the recent past.

Finally, the future tense is used to talk about actions that will occur in the future. For example, if you wanted to say “I will go to the store tomorrow” in Spanish, you would say “Mañana voy a la tienda” (pronounced mah-nyah-nah vohy ah lah tyehn-dah).

Conclusion

Talking about what you are doing in Spanish doesn’t have to be difficult. By understanding the most common phrases and verbs used to talk about your actions in Spanish, as well as using the correct verb tenses, you can easily express yourself in the language. To further your knowledge of what you are doing in Spanish, consider taking a class or using online resources such as Duolingo or SpanishDict.