In European Portuguese, the continuous tense is formed with estar + a + infinitive. To add nuance, short adverbs like sempre (always), ainda (still), já (already), and só (just/only) are frequently placed directly between estar and a.
| She is always crying at the daycare. | Ela está sempre a chorar na creche. |
| The kindergarten teacher is still preparing the nap. | A educadora está ainda a preparar a sesta. |
| I am already warming the baby bottle. | Eu estou já a aquecer o biberão. |
| The baby is just taking a nap. | O bebé está só a fazer a sesta. |
This word order is a hallmark of natural, spoken European Portuguese. It is especially common when emphasizing repetitive or ongoing actions in busy environments.
| The boy is always taking off the diaper! | O menino está sempre a tirar a fralda! |
| The girl is still looking for the pacifier. | A menina está ainda a procurar a chupeta. |
| The boy is already sleeping on the lap. | O menino está já a dormir ao colo. |
| He is just asking for the lap. | Ele está só a pedir colo. |
Your questions are stored by us to improve Elon.io