Spanish Phrase
Se está desbordando.
Meaning
The sentence means 'It is overflowing.' It can refer to water, a crowd, emotions, or any situation that exceeds its capacity. The construction emphasizes that the overflow is happening right now.
When to use
Use this phrase when you want to describe a current overflow—whether a river, a bathtub, a queue, or even feelings that are spilling over. It works for both literal and figurative contexts.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Seestádesbordando
Se (impersonal/passive)
The pronoun 'se' is used here to form an impersonal or passive construction, indicating that something is happening without specifying an explicit subject.
Estar + gerundio
The verb 'estar' followed by a gerund expresses an ongoing action, similar to the English present progressive.
Desbordar (gerund)
The gerund 'desbordando' comes from the verb 'desbordar', meaning 'to overflow' or 'to spill over'.
🗨In Conversation
¿Qué pasa con la cocina?
What's happening in the kitchen?
Se está desbordando.
It's overflowing.
✕Common Mistakes
Se está desbordar.
After 'estar' you need the gerund, not the infinitive.
Se está desbordado.
Mixing gerund and past participle; use either 'se está desbordando' (ongoing) or 'se ha desbordado' (completed).
Esta se está desbordando.
The demonstrative 'esta' is unnecessary unless you are specifying a feminine noun; the phrase already implies the subject.
↔Alternatives
Está desbordado.
It is overflowed.
Se ha desbordado.
It has overflowed.
Se está desbordando el río.
The river is overflowing.
Cultural Tip
In many Spanish‑speaking countries 'desbordarse' is also used figuratively for emotions: 'Se desbordó de alegría' (He/She overflowed with joy). Be aware that the construction 'se está + gerundio' is common in news reports and everyday speech to describe situations that are out of control, such as traffic jams or social media trends.