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What is the Spanish Present Perfect Tense?
The Spanish present perfect tense (pretérito perfecto) is used to describe actions that have been completed in the recent past but have relevance to the present moment. It's formed using the auxiliary verb "haber" (to have) plus the past participle of the main verb.
This tense is equivalent to the English present perfect ("I have eaten," "She has traveled") and is commonly used in Spain and some Latin American countries to talk about recent experiences, actions with present consequences, and life experiences.
Examples
He comido pizza hoy.
I have eaten pizza today.
María ha viajado a Francia.
María has traveled to France.
Hemos estudiado español por dos años.
We have studied Spanish for two years.
Formation: Haber + Past Participle
The Spanish present perfect is formed by combining the present tense of the auxiliary verb haber with the past participle of the main verb. The past participle never changes form in compound tenses.
Formula: Subject + haber (present) + past participle
Haber Conjugation (Present Tense)
The auxiliary verb haber is conjugated in the present tense:
Haber - Present Tense
| Pronoun | Conjugation | English |
|---|---|---|
| yo | he | I have |
| tú | has | you have |
| él/ella/usted | ha | he/she/you have |
| nosotros/as | hemos | we have |
| vosotros/as | habéis | you all have |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | han | they/you all have |
Past Participle Formation
Regular past participles are formed by adding specific endings to the verb stem:
-ar verbs: stem + -ado
hablar → hablado (spoken)
-er verbs: stem + -ido
comer → comido (eaten)
-ir verbs: stem + -ido
vivir → vivido (lived)
Irregular Past Participles
Some verbs have irregular past participles that must be memorized:
abrir → abierto
to open → opened
decir → dicho
to say → said
escribir → escrito
to write → written
hacer → hecho
to do/make → done/made
morir → muerto
to die → died
poner → puesto
to put → put
romper → roto
to break → broken
ver → visto
to see → seen
volver → vuelto
to return → returned
When to Use the Present Perfect
The Spanish present perfect is used in several specific situations. Understanding these uses will help you know when to choose this tense over other past tenses like the preterite or imperfect.
Recent Past Actions
Actions that happened recently and have relevance to the present moment:
He terminado mi tarea.
I have finished my homework.
¿Has visto a María hoy?
Have you seen María today?
Hemos comido en ese restaurante.
We have eaten at that restaurant.
Life Experiences
Experiences in one's life, often with words like "nunca" (never), "alguna vez" (ever), "ya" (already):
Nunca he estado en París.
I have never been to Paris.
¿Has viajado alguna vez a Asia?
Have you ever traveled to Asia?
Ya hemos visto esa película.
We have already seen that movie.
Actions Continuing to Present
Actions that started in the past and continue to the present:
He vivido aquí durante cinco años.
I have lived here for five years.
Han trabajado juntos desde 2020.
They have worked together since 2020.
Common Time Expressions
Certain time expressions are commonly used with the present perfect tense. These help indicate that the action has relevance to the present moment.
Examples
hoy
today
esta semana
this week
este mes
this month
ya
already
todavía no
not yet
nunca
never
alguna vez
ever
recientemente
recently
Examples in Context
Here are some practical examples of the present perfect tense used in everyday Spanish conversations:
Examples
¿Qué has hecho hoy?
What have you done today?
He perdido mis llaves.
I have lost my keys.
¿Has terminado el proyecto?
Have you finished the project?
No hemos recibido tu mensaje.
We haven't received your message.
Ella ha llegado tarde otra vez.
She has arrived late again.