Key learning points

1. The preposition 'de' joins two nouns to describe a type of something, e.g. ‘un billete de avión’ ('a plane ticket').
2. We use 'estar' in the present tense + present participle to talk about ongoing events; this is the present continuous.
3. 'Estar' in the imperfect + present participle describes what someone was doing; this is the imperfect continuous.
4. Sometimes an action interrupts what someone was doing. We use 'cuando' followed by the preterite to express this.

Keywords

• De - preposition meaning 'from' and 'of'

• Present continuous - verb tense used to describe events happening right now, e.g. ‘I am doing’

• Imperfect continuous - verb tense used to talk about ongoing actions in the past, what was happening

• Preterite - verb tense used for events completed in the past

Common misconception