The present continuous continuous has two main uses in English.
One is to describe an action that is currently in progress:
You are reading these words now.
You are breathing.
This contrasts with the present simple which describes things which may not be happening now, but which normally do, or which often happen.
I go to school every day.
I get up at 10 o’clock on Saturdays.
The present continuous is also used to talk about future plans:
I am visiting a friend in Los Angeles next month.
I’m having dinner with President Obama tomorrow night.
We can say something similar with going to:
I’m going to visit a friend in Los Angeles next month.
The difference between the two structures is not great and in many cases it does not matter which we use when we talk about future plans.
However, the presnt continuous is sometimes preferred to going to if the plan is a very definite or certain one.
Compare these two examples:
I’m going to get married in the summer.
I’m getting married on 9th June.
In the first case, there is a general intention to get married, but maybe no arrangements have been made. In the second, the plan seems more definite: the person has chosen a date, may be they knopw which church they are going to use and maybe they have already sent out invitations.
More examples:
Valencia CF are going to move to a new stadium, but we don’t know when becasuer the stadium is not finished.
Valencia CF are moving to their new stadium on 1st July, 2015.
I don’t know what I’m going to do today.
I’m seeing a friend at 5 o’clock.
