English Tenses (Compared to Other Languages)

Clark   Wednesday, September 24, 2003, 20:26 GMT
For some reason, I just hate the present participle. I wish that a language would choose one or the other! I do not mind never using it, or always using it; but never inbetween!

Spanish, Portuguese, Italian and English all like to use both (though English is much more liberal in its usage).

Whereas French, German, Dutch, Scandianavian languages do not use the progressive much, and when it is used, it is not in the same way (it is actually a gerund).

And then I only know of one language that uses the present participle all the time for the present tense (but can be used for all tenses), and this language is Scottish Gaelic.

For me though, it comes down to eventually being able to speak the language fluently, and then I would not have a problem with it I am sure.