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Sto guardando la tv.

Sto guardando la tv.
I am watching TV.
From Lesson 90:Present progressive (stare + -ando, -endo)·Italian

Questions & Answers about Sto guardando la tv.

Why do we use sto instead of sono for "I am"?
To form the present progressive (for actions happening right now), Italian uses the verb stare (to stay/be) rather than essere (to be). So, sto guardando is the standard way to say "I am watching."
How is the word guardando formed?
It is the gerund (the -ing form) of the verb guardare (to watch). For regular -are verbs, you drop the -are ending and add -ando.
Could I just say Guardo la tv instead?
Yes, you can. The simple present guardo can mean both "I watch" and "I am watching." But using the stare + gerund structure (sto guardando) emphasizes that you are in the exact middle of the action right now.
Why is there a la before tv when we usually just say "watching TV" in English?
Italian uses definite articles (like la or il) much more often than English. Since tv is short for televisione (a feminine noun), it requires the feminine article la.
How do you pronounce tv in Italian?
You say the letters using the Italian alphabet: ti-vù. Because of this pronunciation, you will sometimes even see it spelled out as the word tivù.

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