was drowning
Tom percebeu que ele estava se afogando.
Tom realized he was drowning.
Ela estava se afogando.
She was drowning.
— Noites de Cabíria (1957)
Pensei que estava se afogando.
I thought he was drowning.
— Dor e Glória (2019)
Estava se afogando num aquário, não?
He was drowning in an aquarium, wasn't he?
Tom estava se afogando.
Tom was drowning.