Estudiando violín

Peter W.A2Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor

Estudiando violín

I put "estudio violín" and it was corrected to "estoy estudiano violín". Don't they both work? I thought present progressive tense meant the speaker was studying violin right at that moment?

Asked 3 years ago
InmaNative Spanish expert teacher in KwiziqCorrect answer

Hola Peter

When we talk about something that you are studying as in an ongoing course we tend to use the progressive tense:

Estoy estudiando violín en el conservatorio.

¿Qué estás estudiando en la universidad?

Estoy estudiando idiomas en Birmingham.

It refers to ongoing studies that you are currently doing. 

Inma

John O.C1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor

Hi Peter,

"Estudio violín" means "I study violin" which doesn't really work. Being the present progressive tense, "estoy estudiando violín" means "I am studying (how to play the) violin." It conveys an activity in which you are currently engaged. 

In English we would all know what "I study violin" means. In Spanish it doesn't convey the immediate and ongoing nature of the activity in which you are engaged. Spanish really values the fundamental meaning of the tenses, whereas in English as spoken we have begun to bend the rules quite a lot. This becomes very clear when you cover the past tenses in Spanish, which for me have been fascinating, interesting and educating!

Saludos. John

Peter W. asked:

Estudiando violín

I put "estudio violín" and it was corrected to "estoy estudiano violín". Don't they both work? I thought present progressive tense meant the speaker was studying violin right at that moment?

Sign in to submit your answer

Don't have an account yet? Join today

Ask a question

Find your Spanish level for FREE

Test your Spanish to the CEFR standard

Find your Spanish level
Let me take a look at that...