The verb to lean · Conjugation
Present Continuous of lean
The answer: am / is / are leaning
A1
An action happening now, at the moment of speaking.
Quick answer
The Present Continuous of the verb to lean is am / is / are leaning.
Example: I am leaning against the wall right now.
Full conjugation in the Present Continuous
| Pronoun | Form | Contraction |
|---|---|---|
| I | am leaning | I'm leaning |
| You | are leaning | You're leaning |
| He / She / It | is leaning | He's / She's / It's leaning |
| We | are leaning | We're leaning |
| You (pl.) | are leaning | You're leaning |
| They | are leaning | They're leaning |
Common mistakes to avoid
1. She leaning ❌
The Present Continuous always has two parts: am, is or are + the -ing form. Without the helper verb, the sentence is wrong: say she is leaning, I am leaning.
2. I am knowing ❌
Some verbs describe a state, not an action: know, understand, want, need, like, love, believe, remember. They are not normally used in the continuous, even for right now: I know the answer, I don't understand.
3. I am playing football every Saturday ❌
For habits and routines, use the Present Simple: I play football every Saturday. Use the Present Continuous only for now or for a short time: I am playing football right now. With lean: I lean for a habit, I am leaning for right now.
Practice quiz
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Frequently asked questions
How do you conjugate lean in the Present Continuous?+
Use am, is or are (the present of be) + the -ing form leaning. Use am with I, is with he, she and it, and are with you, we and they. For example: I am leaning, she is leaning, they are leaning. In speech, you usually say I'm, she's, they're.
When do you use the Present Continuous of lean?+
Use it for an action happening now, at the moment of speaking. Also use it for a situation that is only temporary (this week, these days). Common signal words are now, right now, at the moment and Look!
What is the difference between I lean and I am leaning?+
I lean is the Present Simple: a habit or a fact. I am leaning is the Present Continuous: an action happening now, or for a short time. Compare: I play football every Saturday and I am playing football right now.
How do you make the negative and the question of lean in the Present Continuous?+
Negative: add not after am, is or are: I'm not leaning, she isn't leaning, they aren't leaning. Question: put am, is or are before the subject: Are you leaning…?, Is she leaning…? Do not add do: Do you are leaning? is wrong.
What is the -ing form of lean?+
The -ing form of lean is leaning. You just add -ing: lean → leaning. You also use it in the Past Continuous (I was leaning) and after a preposition (before leaning).
Related pages: lean Present Continuous
Pages on a similar topic or with a similar use, so you can keep exploring.
Updated on 12 November 2026 by the Big Challenge teaching team. Every year, more than 500,000 students across Europe take part in our English contest, created in 1999. Our teaching approach →
The Big Challenge · Updated on 12 November 2026 · Source: www.thebigchallenge.com/bl/academy/learn-english/verbs/lean/present-continuous
© The Big Challenge. Copying allowed for classroom use. Every year, more than 500,000 students across Europe take part in our English contest, created in 1999.
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More forms of the verb to lean are coming soon.