The Spanish Present Perfect tense, also known as “Pretérito Perfecto Compuesto” or simply “Presente Perfecto,” is used to express recently completed actions or actions with a connection to the present. This tense is formed by combining the present tense of the auxiliary verb “haber” with the past participle of the main verb.
Formation
- Conjugate “haber” in the present tense:
- (yo) he
- (tú) has
- (él/ella/usted) ha
- (nosotros/nosotras) hemos
- (vosotros/vosotras) habéis
- (ellos/ellas/ustedes) han
- Add the past participle of the main verb:
- For regular -ar verbs: stem + -ado (e.g., hablar → hablado)
- For regular -er/-ir verbs: stem + -ido (e.g., comer → comido, vivir → vivido)
Examples of Regular Verbs
- Hablar (to speak):
- Yo he hablado
- Tú has hablado
- Él/Ella/Usted ha hablado
- Nosotros/Nosotras hemos hablado
- Vosotros/Vosotras habéis hablado
- Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes han hablado
- Comer (to eat):
- Yo he comido
- Tú has comido
- Él/Ella/Usted ha comido
- Nosotros/Nosotras hemos comido
- Vosotros/Vosotras habéis comido
- Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes han comido
Irregular Past Participles
Some verbs have irregular past participles. Here are some common ones:
- Abrir (to open) → abierto
- Decir (to say) → dicho
- Escribir (to write) → escrito
- Hacer (to do/make) → hecho
- Poner (to put) → puesto
- Ver (to see) → visto
- Volver (to return) → vuelto
Usage
The Present Perfect tense is used to describe:
- Recently completed actions:
- He terminado mi tarea. (I have finished my homework.)
- Actions that started in the past and continue in the present:
- Hemos vivido aquí por diez años. (We have lived here for ten years.)
- Experiences or accomplishments:
- ¿Has visitado España? (Have you visited Spain?)
- Actions that occurred at an unspecified time in the past:
- Ella ha leído ese libro. (She has read that book.)
- Actions in a time period that’s not yet over:
- Este año he aprendido mucho español. (This year I have learned a lot of Spanish.)
Time Expressions
Common time expressions used with the Present Perfect include:
- Ya (already)
- Todavía no (not yet)
- Alguna vez (ever)
- Nunca (never)
- Últimamente (lately)
- Este año/mes/semana (this year/month/week)
Example: Ya he terminado mi trabajo. (I have already finished my work.)
Remember that usage of the Present Perfect can vary between different Spanish-speaking regions, with some areas preferring the Simple Past tense (Pretérito Indefinido) for recent actions.
Synonyms:
- English: Perfect Tense, Have Perfect
- Spanish: Pretérito Perfecto Compuesto, Antepresente, Presente Perfecto