The idea
Use the conjugated German activity verb and add gerade when current progress matters. German am-progressive forms exist, but they are not required for an ordinary present description.
One contrast, not a prediction about every learner
Italian stare plus a gerund can highlight an activity in progress. German commonly expresses the same current activity with an ordinary present verb, optionally adding gerade; it does not need a matching gerund auxiliary.
Individual experience, dialect and other languages you know can change which comparisons help. Use the contrast to notice a German choice; do not treat it as a label for a whole group of people.
Repair the transfer
Ich bin gerade schreiben den Brief.Ich schreibe gerade den Brief.Use the conjugated German activity verb and add gerade when current progress matters. German am-progressive forms exist, but they are not required for an ordinary present description.
Examples
- Ich schreibe gerade die letzte Seite des Berichts.I am writing the final page of the report right now.
- Unsere Nachbarn bauen gerade ein neues Gartenhaus.Our neighbors are building a new garden shed.
- Sie erklärt den Gästen gerade den Ablauf.She is explaining the schedule to the guests right now.
- Wir warten im Moment auf die fehlende Lieferung.We are waiting for the missing delivery at the moment.
- Der Koch schneidet gerade das Gemüse für die Suppe.The cook is chopping the vegetables for the soup right now.
- Was liest du gerade auf deinem Bildschirm?What are you reading on your screen right now?
Read-aloud uses a synthetic German voice available on your device. Voice quality and availability vary; it does not assess your pronunciation.
No German device voice is available. You can still read the text and use the linked listening resources.
Watch out
Do not generalize a source-language pattern to every German sentence. Use the conjugated German activity verb and add gerade when current progress matters. German am-progressive forms exist, but they are not required for an ordinary present description.
Try it yourself
Korrigiere: Ich bin gerade schreiben den Brief.
Show answer or example answer
Ich schreibe gerade den Brief.
Ich schreibe gerade den Brief. Use the conjugated German activity verb and add gerade when current progress matters. German am-progressive forms exist, but they are not required for an ordinary present description.
Ins Deutsche übertragen: I am writing the final page of the report right now.
Show answer or example answer
Ich schreibe gerade die letzte Seite des Berichts.
Ich schreibe gerade die letzte Seite des Berichts. Use the conjugated German activity verb and add gerade when current progress matters. German am-progressive forms exist, but they are not required for an ordinary present description.
Ins Deutsche übertragen: The cook is chopping the vegetables for the soup right now.
Show answer or example answer
Der Koch schneidet gerade das Gemüse für die Suppe.
Der Koch schneidet gerade das Gemüse für die Suppe. Keep the meaning of the whole sentence while using the German pattern.
Practice round
Answer three questions, then rebuild three German sentences. We keep your score.
Korrigiere: Ich bin gerade schreiben den Brief.
Ich schreibe gerade den Brief.
Ins Deutsche übertragen: I am writing the final page of the report right now.
Ich schreibe gerade die letzte Seite des Berichts.
Ins Deutsche übertragen: The cook is chopping the vegetables for the soup right now.
Der Koch schneidet gerade das Gemüse für die Suppe.
Tap the words in the right order.
Tap the words in the right order.
Tap the words in the right order.
Keep your progress
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Write three German sentences of your own that follow the pattern of “Ich schreibe gerade den Brief.”. Check each one for the Italian habit this lesson corrects, then read them aloud.