continúo

Continúo is the first-person singular present indicative form of the Spanish verb continuar, meaning I continue or I am continuing. It is used to indicate that an action or state is ongoing or that the speaker is maintaining a course of action after a possible interruption.

Etymology traces continúo to the Latin verb continuāre, from continuus meaning continuous. The term shares its meaning with related verbs such as seguir and permanecer, but emphasizes the idea of ongoing progression.

Conjugation and orthography: continúo is an irregular form within regular -ar verbs in the present tense. Other present tense forms are continues with the normal endings: tú continúas, él continúa, nosotros continuamos, vosotros continuáis, ellos continúan. The accent marks on several forms (for example, continúo, continúa, continúan) indicate the correct stress pattern to distinguish them from other tenses or similar-looking words. The simple past tense form is continuó (él/ella), which also carries an accent but on a different syllable.

Usage: continúo is used to express persistence or resumption after a pause. It often appears with a complemento de acción, as in “Continúo con el informe” or “Continúo trabajando a pesar de las dificultades.” It can be replaced by sinónimo like sigo in many contexts, though continuar emphasizes continuity of unbroken progression.

Related terms: continuar (to continue), continuación (continuation), continuamente (continuously). The word is widely used in Spanish-speaking contexts across Spain and Latin America, with similar meaning and usage patterns.