"I am writing the messages in Spanish."
Translation:Yo escribo los mensajes en español.
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"I am writing the messages in Spanish" translates to "Estoy escribiendo los mensajes en español" but this is marked incorrect.
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Both should be accepted - the present continuous in English is used much more than the (apparently) corresponding tense in Spanish.
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But the present continuous and the present simple mean different things in both languages, or at least it does in English and Castilliano.
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Well, yes, but they don't overlap neatly. The present continuous in English can be sensibly translated by the presente in Spanish but never vice versa.
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Remember that the present tense (indicative) in Spanish means three things.
Tú hablas inglés You speak English. You do speak English. You are speaking English. Tú comes pan You eat bread. You do eat bread. You are eating bread. Tú vives en Buenos Aires You live in Buenos Aires. You do live in Buenos Aires. You are living in Buenos Aires.
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Agreed, mikeylee48. The simple present form is preferred for this type of action. Previous posts by native Spanish speakers indicate that the present progressive form e.g. 'Yo escribiendo', is used only if I am doing something at this very instant!
Can someone tell me why "Estoy escribo los mensajes en espaňol?" isn't accepted?
I was under the impression that "Estoy" meant "I am" but sort of in a current state, if you get what i mean? I read this website to try and differentiate the differences https://www.thoughtco.com/verbs-meaning-to-be-ser-estar-3078314.
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Charlie, you are right that Estoy means I am, but escribo means I write or I am writing, so your sentence would read 'I am I write ...' or 'I am I am writing ...'.
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If you want to use estoy, you have to use the progressive tense to indicate you are doing something at this very moment. Yo estoy escribiendo means I am writing, but it looks like it's acceptable to do yo escribo as well.
-er and -ir verbs use the ending "-iendo" and -ar verbs use "-ando" when conjugating to progressive.
