The verb to steal · Conjugation
Present Continuous of steal
The answer: am / is / are stealing
A1
An action happening now, at the moment of speaking.
Quick answer
The Present Continuous of the verb to steal is am / is / are stealing.
Example: I am stealing the ball right now.
Full conjugation in the Present Continuous
| Pronoun | Form | Contraction |
|---|---|---|
| I | am stealing | I'm stealing |
| You | are stealing | You're stealing |
| He / She / It | is stealing | He's / She's / It's stealing |
| We | are stealing | We're stealing |
| You (pl.) | are stealing | You're stealing |
| They | are stealing | They're stealing |
Common mistakes to avoid
1. She stealing ❌
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 stealing, I am stealing. Without -ing, it is wrong too: she is steal ❌.
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 steal: I steal for a habit, I am stealing for right now.
Practice quiz
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Frequently asked questions
How do you conjugate steal in the Present Continuous?+
Use am, is or are (the present of be) + the -ing form stealing. Use am with I, is with he, she and it, and are with you, we and they. For example: I am stealing, she is stealing, they are stealing. In speech, you usually say I'm, she's, they're.
When do you use the Present Continuous of steal?+
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 steal and I am stealing?+
I steal is the Present Simple: a habit or a fact. I am stealing 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 steal in the Present Continuous?+
Negative: add not after am, is or are: I'm not stealing, she isn't stealing, they aren't stealing. Question: put am, is or are before the subject: Are you stealing…?, Is she stealing…? Do not add do: Do you are stealing? is wrong.
What is the -ing form of steal?+
The -ing form of steal is stealing. You just add -ing: steal → stealing. You also use it in the Past Continuous (I was stealing) and after a preposition (before stealing).
Related pages: steal Present Continuous
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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/steal/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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