Language: Perfect Progressive

The Perfect Progressive Theory in Slovak Grammar is used to express actions that were ongoing in the past and have continued up until the present moment. It combines the elements of both the Perfect and Progressive tenses.

To form the Perfect Progressive, we use the auxiliary verb ‘byť’ (to be) in the past tense, followed by the present participle of the main verb, and then attach the auxiliary verb ‘mať’ (to have) in the present tense, followed by the past participle of the main verb.

For example, to say “I have been studying,” we would say “Ja som študoval/a.” Here, ‘som’ is the past tense form of ‘byť,’ ‘študoval/a’ is the present participle of ‘študovať’ (to study), and ‘mam’ is the present tense form of ‘mať.’

The use of the Perfect Progressive allows us to emphasize the duration or continuity of the action. It is commonly used to indicate ongoing actions that started in the past and are still ongoing in the present.