Ich repariere den Computer für meinen alten Nachbarn. (en → de)

[sentence bot 🤖]

Ich repariere den Computer für meinen alten Nachbarn.

en: I am repairing the computer for my old neighbor.

Duolingo forum topic: https://forum.duolingo.com/comment/55562321

[Seiryuu]

I reported this sentence on 23 May 2022 for not accepting "I repair the computer for my old neighbour." German doesn't differentiate between the simple present and present progressive tenses.

[Chrisinom]

Actually there are two options for translating progressive forms: You can add "gerade" (Ich repariere gerade den Computer . ..) or you can use the prepositions am / beim + infinitive used as a noun (substantivierter Infinitiv), which would sound a bit awkward in this case: Ich bin am / beim Reparieren des Computers ... But you're right in most cases sentences like this one can be translated as simple or progressive.

[Cifi]

Actually there are two options for translating progressive forms: You can add "gerade" (Ich repariere gerade den Computer . ..) or you can use the prepositions am / beim + infinitive used as a noun (substantivierter Infinitiv), which would sound a bit awkward in this case: Ich bin am / beim Reparieren des Computers ... But you're right in most cases sentences like this one can be translated as simple or progressive.

Even though progressive form with "beim" (an "im") seem to be regarded as correct German (those with "am" not yet for what I understand), I'd prefer to phrase it "Ich bin dabei, den Computer zu reparieren". There seem to be some regional differences. I heard "Ich bin etwas am machen" a lot in everyday language in the western part of Germany, but I, raised in northern Germany, wouldn't use this type of construction.

[Chrisinom]

I totally agree with that. Being from Southern Germany the construction with am/beim (im is not used frequently) is familiar to me, but I wouldn't use it in every case and it is rather part of the spoken language. Yet it is the only way to express the concept of the progressive form grammatically and not by means of vocabulary. Anyway, in most cases we do not make a difference between the simple and progressive forms, as Seiryuu pointed out.

[Dana_Dany Danuta]

Archive: https://duolingo.hobune.stream/comment/55562321

[Schnickschnack]

Actually there are two options for translating progressive forms: You can add "gerade" (Ich repariere gerade den Computer . ..)

In addition, there are a few other options: "{Nun | Eben | Just | Jetzt | Soeben | Im Moment | Momentan | Zur Zeit | Derzeit | Zum gegenwärtigen Zeitpunkt | Gegenwärtig | In der Gegenwart | Aktuell | dieser Tage | Heutzutage} repariere ich den Computer", depending on which fits best. And if you want to show off, you can use an archaic form like "Jetzo" or "Nunmehro".

"Ich bin beim Reparieren des Computers" is not so awkward at all if seen as a derivative from this phrasing: "Er erwischte sie beim Reparieren des Computers." It also hints why "am Reparieren" is more colloquial.

https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Am-Progressiv

Much more quirky but (as far as I can see) not wrong are constructs like "Ich bin den Computer reparierend" or "Ich befinde mich im Zustand des Reparierens des Computers".

[Schnickschnack]

Actually there are two options for translating progressive forms: You can add "gerade" (Ich repariere gerade den Computer . ..)

In addition, there are a few other alternatives: "{Nun | Eben | Just | Jetzt | Soeben | Im Moment | Momentan | Zur Zeit | Derzeit | Zum gegenwärtigen Zeitpunkt | Gegenwärtig | In der Gegenwart | Aktuell | dieser Tage | Heutzutage} repariere ich den Computer", depending on which fits best. If you prefer to show off, using an archaic form like "Jetzo" or "Nunmehro" is also an option.

"Ich bin beim Reparieren des Computers" is not so awkward at all if seen as a derivative from this phrasing: "Er erwischte sie beim Reparieren des Computers." It also hints why "am Reparieren" is more colloquial.

https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Am-Progressiv

Much more quirky but (as far as I can see) not wrong are constructs like "Ich bin den Computer reparierend" or "Ich befinde mich im Zustand des Reparierens des Computers".

[Chrisinom]

Another possible version is "Ich bin dabei, den Computer zu reparieren."