Inklingo

How to Say "you continue" in Spanish

English → Spanish

sigues

/see-gess//ˈsi.ɣes/

VerbA2Informal
Use 'sigues' when you want to ask if someone is still doing something or has not stopped an action they were previously engaged in.
A storybook illustration of a child running continuously down a winding path that disappears into the distance.

Examples

¿Sigues trabajando en el mismo lugar?

Are you still working in the same place?

Si sigues practicando, vas a mejorar mucho.

If you keep practicing, you're going to improve a lot.

¡Sigue así! Lo estás haciendo genial.

Keep it up! You're doing great.

The "Keep Doing Something" Formula

To say you 'keep doing' something, Spanish has a super useful pattern: seguir + [verb ending in -ando or -iendo]. For example, 'You keep talking' is Sigues hablando.

Forgetting the Stem Change

Mistake: “Sometimes learners say 'seguies' because the base verb is `seguir`.”

Correction: Remember that `seguir` is a 'boot verb'. The 'e' changes to 'i' for most present tense forms, like `sigo`, `sigues`, `sigue`. The `nosotros` (we) form stays normal: `seguimos`.

duras

/DOO-ras//ˈdu.ɾas/

VerbA1Informal
Use 'duras' to ask about the length of time someone can endure or last doing something, focusing on the duration or capacity to persist.
A single, massive oak tree with deep visible roots and a strong trunk standing firmly in a field, symbolizing enduring or lasting.

Examples

¿Cuánto tiempo duras en la piscina sin descansar?

How long do you last in the pool without resting?

Ojalá duras mucho en tu nuevo trabajo.

Hopefully you last a long time in your new job. (Less common subjunctive usage)

Si no comes, no duras ni una hora.

If you don't eat, you won't last even an hour.

The 'Tú' Form

'Duras' is the form you use when talking directly to a friend or someone you know well ('tú') about how long something takes or how long they can keep going.

Confusing Pronouns

Mistake: “Yo duras mucho tiempo.”

Correction: Yo duro mucho tiempo. (Remember that 'duras' is only for 'tú'; 'yo' requires 'duro'.)

Still Doing vs. How Long You Last

The most common mistake is confusing 'sigues' with 'duras'. Remember, 'sigues' asks IF an action is still happening, while 'duras' asks HOW LONG it lasts or how long someone can endure it.

Related Translations

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