El Uso del Presente 

The present tense in Spanish can be used to render the following meanings in English:

The simple present tense is employed more frequently in Spanish than in English, being used as:

    1. The English simple present:
Juan plays the trumpet
Juan toca la trompeta.
    2. The English present progressive:
They are living in Spain.
We are having dinner with Juan on Friday.
Ellos viven en España * 
Cenamos con Juan el viernes.
ojo2.gif - 623 Bytes*Use the Spanish "estar" + Gerund ("viviendo") only to say that you are doing something right now, in this moment!
 
    3. The English "do" or "does " + verb in questions:
Do you speak Spanish?
¿Hablas español?
    4. The English "shall" + verb:
Shall we dance?
¿Bailamos?
    5. The English future if another element in the sentence expresses future time:
I'll give you the book tomorrow.
Te doy el libro mañana.
    6. The English present perfect with "hace" + expression of time + "que":
I' ve been living here for ten years.
Hace diez años que vivo aquí.
7. Finally we have what is sometimes called the "historical present", which means the use or the present instead of the preterit for stylistical reasons, for example to give the listener or reader the impression to be part of a historical or past event:

Imagínate lo que me pasó ayer: Salgo de casa, bajo las escaleras y ?con quién me encuentro?, con Juan.