Am, Is, Are + Verb-ing

What you’ll learn

Describe actions happening now with am, is, or are and a verb ending in -ing.

ពណ៌នាសកម្មភាពដែលកំពុងកើតឡើង ដោយប្រើ am, is ឬ are និងកិរិយាសព្ទបញ្ចប់ដោយ -ing។

Meaning and use

The present continuous describes an action in progress around the time of speaking: I am reading now. It can also describe a temporary situation around now. Use a present form of be and the -ing form of the main verb together. Choose am, is, or are to match the subject. Most verbs add -ing; many verbs ending in silent -e drop that e. Some short verbs double the final consonant. Learn the spelling examples below rather than doubling every final consonant.

Present continuous ប្រើសម្រាប់សកម្មភាពដែលកំពុងកើតឡើងនៅពេលនិយាយ ឬស្ថានភាពបណ្តោះអាសន្ននៅជុំវិញពេលនេះ។ ត្រូវមានទាំង be និងកិរិយាសព្ទ -ing។ ជ្រើសរើស am, is ឬ are ឱ្យស្របនឹងប្រធាន ហើយសង្កេតការប្រកបរបស់កិរិយាសព្ទ។

Grammar patterns

Pattern	Example or form
I + am + verb-ing	I am reading.
He / she / it + is + verb-ing	She is studying.
You / we / they + are + verb-ing	They are playing.
Common spellings	read → reading; make → making; run → running

Examples

1. I am reading a book now.

   ខ្ញុំកំពុងអានសៀវភៅមួយក្បាល។

2. She is studying English.

   នាងកំពុងរៀនភាសាអង់គ្លេស។

3. They are playing football.

   ពួកគេកំពុងលេងបាល់ទាត់។

4. We are staying with our aunt this week.

   យើងកំពុងស្នាក់នៅជាមួយមីងក្នុងសប្តាហ៍នេះ។

Everyday conversation

Dara: What are you doing?

Maly: I’m reading.

Dara: What is your brother doing?

Maly: He’s making dinner.

Common mistakes

Instead of	Use	Why
She studying now.	She is studying now.	The present continuous needs be before the -ing verb.
They are play football.	They are playing football.	After are in this continuous pattern, use playing.

Practice

Try these questions before opening the answers. Write or say each answer.

សាកល្បងឆ្លើយសំណួរទាំងនេះជាមុនសិន មុននឹងបើកមើលចម្លើយ។ អ្នកអាចសរសេរ ឬនិយាយចម្លើយរបស់អ្នក។

1. Complete: I ___ reading now.
2. Write the -ing form: make.
3. Complete: They are ___ football. (play)
4. Write the -ing form: run.

Answers and explanations

Show answers / បង្ហាញចម្លើយ

1. am

   Use am with I.

2. making

   Drop the silent final -e before -ing.

3. playing

   The main verb takes -ing.

4. running

   Run doubles its final consonant in running.

Quick recap

• Use be + verb-ing for an action in progress.
• Match am/is/are to the subject.
• Learn common spelling changes such as making and running.