GRAMMAR ARTIFACT №6 ÊTRE EN TRAIN DE
Le présent continu is the alternative for English Present Continuous.
RÈGLES
1) Action at the moment
2) Temporary or background situation
3) To emphasize on emotions
French doesn’t have a Present Progressive tense. Instead, French usually uses the simple Present Tense (e.g., je mange) to convey both the Present Simple and the Present Continuous.
However, in order to emphasize that something is in the process of happening in French, we can use the construction.
+
être en train de + l’infinitif
Je suis en train d’étudier.
I am studying.
(in the process right now)
Il est en train de parler.
He is speaking.
(in the process right now)
-
ne être pas en train de + l’infinitif
Je ne suis pas en train d’étudier.
I am studying.
Il n’est pas en train de parler.
He is speaking.
?
Qu’est-ce que tu es en train de faire?
What are you doing?
Je suis en train de faire la lessive.
I am doing the laundry.