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Present Perfect

Spanish

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Sonu Kumar
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9 views

Present Perfect

Spanish

Uploaded by

Sonu Kumar
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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PRESENT PERFECT

Notes:

1. The writ t en lesson is below.


2. Links t o quizzes, t est s, et c. are t o t he left .

The present perfect is formed by combining t he auxiliary verb “has” or “have” wit h t he past
part iciple.

I have studied.
He has written a letter to María.
We have been stranded for six days.

Because t he present perfect is a compound t ense, t wo verbs are required: t he main verb and
t he auxiliary verb.
I have studied.
(main verb: studied ; auxiliary verb: have)

He has written a letter to María.


(main verb: written ; auxiliary verb: has)

We have been stranded for six days.


(main verb: been ; auxiliary verb: have)

In Spanish, t he present perfect t ense is formed by using t he present t ense of t he auxiliary verb
“haber” wit h t he past part iciple. Haber is conjugat ed as follows:

he
has
ha
hemos
habéis
han

You have already learned in a previous lesson t hat t he past part iciple is formed by dropping t he
infinit ive ending and adding eit her -ado or -ido. Remember, some past part iciples are irregular.
The following examples all use t he past part iciple for t he verb “comer.”
(yo) He comido.
I have eaten.

(tú) Has comido.


You have eaten.

(él) Ha comido.
He has eaten.

(nosotros) Hemos comido.


We have eaten.

(vosotros) Habéis comido.


You-all have eaten.

(ellos) Han comido.


They have eaten.

For a review of the formation of the past participle [click here].

When you st udied t he past part iciple, you pract iced using it as an adject ive. When used as an
adject ive, t he past part iciple changes t o agree wit h t he noun it modifies. However, when used in
t he perfect t enses, t he past part iciple never changes.

Past participle used as an adjective:


La cuenta está pagada.
The bill is paid.

Past participle used in the present perfect tense:


He pagado la cuenta.
I have paid the bill.

Here’s a couple of more examples:


Past participle used as an adjective:
Las cuentas están pagadas.
The bills are paid.

Past participle used in the present perfect tense:


Juan ha pagado las cuentas.
Juan has paid the bills.

Not e t hat when used t o form t he present perfect t ense, only t he base form (pagado) is used.

Let ’s look more carefully at t he last example:

Juan ha pagado las cuentas.


Juan has paid the bills.

Not ice t hat we use “ha” t o agree wit h “Juan”. We do NOT use “han” t o agree wit h “cuent as.” The
auxiliary verb is conjugat ed for t he subject of t he sent ence, not t he object . Compare t hese t wo
examples:

Juan ha pagado las cuentas.


Juan has paid the bills.

Juan y María han viajado a España.


Juan and Maria have traveled to Spain.

In t he first example, we use “ha” because t he subject of t he sent ence is “Juan.” In t he second
example, we use “han” because t he subject of t he sent ence is “Juan y María.”

The present perfect t ense is frequent ly used for past act ions t hat cont inue int o t he present , or
cont inue t o affect t he present .
He estado dos semanas en Madrid.
I have been in Madrid for two weeks.

Diego ha sido mi amigo por veinte años.


Diego has been my friend for 20 years.

The present perfect t ense is oft en used wit h t he adverb “ya”.

Ya han comido.
They have already eaten.

La empleada ya ha limpiado la casa.


The maid has already cleaned the house.

The auxiliary verb and t he past part iciple are never separat ed. To make t he sent ence negat ive,
add t he word “no” before t he conjugat ed form of haber.

(yo) No he comido.
I have not eaten.

(tú) No has comido.


You have not eaten.

(él) No ha comido.
He has not eaten.

(nosotros) No hemos comido.


We have not eaten.

(vosotros) No habéis comido.


You-all have not eaten.

(ellos) No han comido.


They have not eaten.
Again, t he auxiliary verb and t he past part iciple are never separat ed. Object pronouns are placed
immediat ely before t he auxiliary verb.

Pablo le ha dado mucho dinero a su hermana.


Pablo has given a lot of money to his sister.

To make this sentence negative, the word “no” is placed before the indirect object pronoun
(le).

Pablo no le ha dado mucho dinero a su hermana.


Pablo has not given a lot of money to his sister.

Wit h reflexive verbs, t he reflexive pronoun is placed immediat edly before t he auxiliary verb.
Compare how t he present perfect differs from t he simple present , when a reflexive verb is used.

Me cepillo los dientes. (present)


I brush my teeth.

Me he cepillado los dientes. (present perfect)


I have brushed my teeth.

To make this sentence negative, the word “no” is placed before the reflexive pronoun (me).

No me he cepillado los dientes.


I have not brushed my teeth.

For a review of reflexive verbs click [here] and [here].

Quest ions are formed as follows. Not e how t he word order is different t han t he English
equivalent .
¿Han salido ya las mujeres?
Have the women left yet?

¿Has probado el chocolate alguna vez?


Have you ever tried chocolate?

Here are t he same sent ences in negat ive form. Not ice how t he auxiliary verb and t he past
part iciple are not separat ed.

¿No han salido ya las mujeres?


Haven’t the women left yet?

¿No has probado el chocolate ninguna vez?


Haven’t you ever tried chocolate?

Let ’s add anot her verb flashcard for t he present perfect t ense:

VERB FLASHCARDS
COMPLET E LIST

Present Perfect

haber + past participle


he hablado, he comido, he vivido

he
has
ha
hemos
habéis
han

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