Hein?

[warm solstice]

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.

[vernal gulch]

Well, sneezing probably isn't the best example because it's so instantaneous

it would be odd to say "I am sneezing" even in English, because generally while sneezing you can't really say anything lol

In French, however, that would just be rendered as "j'éternue" - plain ole present tense, no need for a continuous marker

also, in the example you've given, you used the wrong verb
you could say "je suis en train d'éternuer" but would be odd (again for the aforementioned reasons)

[round brook]

lmao ok thanks!

[verbal bay]

For the "why": because English and French are different languages and use different kinds of grammar to express things

No specific reason

[wispy thicket]

to add on, the present participle is used in english as a way to nominalize verbs and it isn't in french which uses the infinitive

so because this construction is formed by "train de", you're basically obligated to use the infinitive and the present participle would make zero sense