Present Continuous

This is used to talk about something happening at the moment or to indicate that the situation is temporary.

infinitive + a

ñán páduka á.

root + u + á   (This form evolved as a contraction of the previous one)

ñán pádu á.

I am singing.

Both forms are used in spoken Malayalam. You can pick up whichever you are comfortable with. To form the past continuous of these forms, all you need to do is to convert á to its past continuous form - áyiruňňu. 

Another way to form continuous tense is to use the auxiliary verb iriquka. This places more emphasis on the action.

Simple past + kondë iriquka á

ñán ippom avide eθθum  - ñán vaňňu kondë iriquka á.

I will be there in a moment – I am on my way (lit. I – now – there-will reach-I am coming)   

To form past continuous, convert á to áyiruňňu. 

root + uňňu

de trein varuňňu.

Here comes the train. (lit. look! the train is coming)

mazha peyyuňňu.

It is raining (lit. rain raining)

This form is usually used when the noun is inanimate. This is the only form that can be used with an emphatic á.