thomasinabina ✱

[charred finch]

Please be patient

Our volunteers look into many questions every day; sometimes it takes them a little while to answer.

Pro tip: you can rename the thread title with `.tr <thread name>`

Make it descriptive, including relevant context, but also to the point. This way you improve your chances of getting a more relevant and specific answer.

[outer ibex]

The first one, it's to emphasise the on-going nature of the action.

[visual estuary]

Ok thanks. Ive seen intermediates use it in the second sense a few times so i got confused.

[twilit kiln]

Both are right

Like Bertie said, you can use it for any ongoing event, regardless of the duration. It describes an ongoing process

[outer ibex]

Really? I thought that the ongoing action had to be some sort of activity that you're doing, not events in general

Like « je suis en train de lire ce livre » can only be understood as me in the middle of reading a book, not that I'm simply reading a book that's not yet finished

[twilit kiln]

No you can also Say "Je suis en train de lire ce livre" even tho you are not currently reading

Basically "je suis en train" means that you are doing it

[willow ibex]

It just emphasizes the moment that you're doing it/the fact that it's in progress

[visual estuary]

Is any one sense more used than the other?

[willow ibex]

Wdym?

[visual estuary]

Is any of the two senses i outlined in my original question, a more natural use of the phrase than the other?

[willow ibex]

No

[visual estuary]

Oh ok