The difference between "llevo enseñando", "estoy enseñando", and "enseñé" comes down to how long an action lasts and whether it is happening now or finished.
These three Spanish structures describe actions, but on different timelines. "Llevo enseñando español cinco años" means you have been teaching Spanish for five years and you are still doing it right now. "Estoy enseñando español ahora mismo" means you are teaching Spanish at this exact moment. "Enseñé español el año pasado" means you taught Spanish last year, and that job or period is over. Once you see that difference clearly, the confusion goes away.
When you use "Llevo + gerund" (the ongoing action that started in the past)
Use "llevo" when an action started in the past and is still happening now. You are interested in how long it has been going on. "Llevo tres meses aprendiendo italiano" means you started learning Italian three months ago, and you are still learning it today. "Llevo dos años viviendo en Madrid" means you moved to Madrid two years ago, and you still live there. The action connects the past to the present moment. In English, you would say "I have been learning Italian for three months" or "I have been living in Madrid for two years."
When you use "Estoy + gerund" (what is happening right now)
Use "estoy" when you want to describe what is happening at this exact second or this current period. "Estoy enseñando ahora mismo" means you are in the middle of teaching right now. "Estoy leyendo un libro esta semana" means you are reading a book this week, during this period. The action is active and in progress in the moment you are speaking. This is the present continuous, and it focuses on the action itself, not how long it has lasted. English uses "I am teaching right now" or "I am reading a book this week."
When you use simple past "enseñé" (the finished action)
Use the simple past when an action is completely finished and no longer happening. "Enseñé español el año pasado" means you taught Spanish last year, and that teaching job is over. "Viví en Barcelona de 2015 a 2018" means you lived in Barcelona during those years, but you do not live there anymore. The action belongs to a closed period in the past. English uses "I taught Spanish last year" or "I lived in Barcelona from 2015 to 2018."
The real difference: timeline matters more than grammar
The confusion happens because all three structures talk about actions, but they answer different questions. If someone asks "¿Cuánto tiempo llevas estudiando español?", they want to know how long you have been studying. If someone asks "¿Qué estás haciendo ahora?", they want to know what is happening in this moment. If someone asks "¿Qué hiciste el verano pasado?", they want to know about a finished period. In real conversation, native speakers choose the right structure because they are thinking about whether the action is still going on, happening now, or completely finished.
How to practice and lock these in
Reading the structures on a page is one thing. Using them in actual conversation with another person is another. You need to hear them, speak them, and get feedback from someone who uses Spanish every day. When you speak in a group with a teacher or a language exchange partner, you practice under small pressure and you cannot hide behind textbook examples. You have to reach for the right tense and hear immediately whether it sounds natural.
PBC Languages runs small group classes with a maximum of four students, so everyone gets real speaking time. You also have access to free language exchanges with native Spanish speakers. A language exchange is beautiful because both people are learning from each other. You give your Spanish, someone gives you theirs, and no money changes hands. The structure is the same whether you are in a group class or an exchange: you show up, you speak, you get better. Between classes, the WhatsApp groups keep the language alive with messages and cultural events.
The first class at PBC Languages is free. Come and use these three structures in real sentences with real people.