A2 Spanish GrammarPresent Perfect Tense
Form the Spanish present perfect (pretérito perfecto) with haber + past participle. Use it for recent past, life experiences, and actions with present relevance. Common in Spain.
1Forming the Present Perfect
The present perfect uses the verb haber (conjugated) + past participle. Haber is irregular: he, has, ha, hemos, habéis, han. The participle doesn't change for gender or number in this tense.
Haber + Participle
| Person | Haber | Example |
|---|---|---|
| yo | he | he hablado |
| tú | has | has comido |
| él/ella/usted | ha | ha vivido |
| nosotros | hemos | hemos visto |
| vosotros | habéis | habéis dicho |
| ellos/ustedes | han | han hecho |
Examples
He terminado el trabajo.
I have finished the work.
he + past participle
¿Has visto mi teléfono?
Have you seen my phone?
has + visto (irregular)
Ella ha llegado tarde.
She has arrived late.
ha + llegado
Hemos comido demasiado.
We have eaten too much.
hemos + comido
2Regular Past Participles
Form regular past participles by removing the infinitive ending and adding -ado (for -ar verbs) or -ido (for -er/-ir verbs). These forms don't change regardless of the subject.
Regular Participle Formation
| Infinitive | Type | Participle |
|---|---|---|
| hablar | -ar → -ado | hablado |
| trabajar | -ar → -ado | trabajado |
| comer | -er → -ido | comido |
| beber | -er → -ido | bebido |
| vivir | -ir → -ido | vivido |
| salir | -ir → -ido | salido |
Examples
Hoy he trabajado mucho.
Today I have worked a lot.
trabajar → trabajado
¿Han comido ya?
Have they eaten yet?
comer → comido
Hemos vivido aquí cinco años.
We have lived here five years.
vivir → vivido
Ha bebido demasiado café.
He has drunk too much coffee.
beber → bebido
3Irregular Past Participles
Many common verbs have irregular past participles that must be memorized. These include ver (visto), hacer (hecho), decir (dicho), escribir (escrito), abrir (abierto), and more.
Irregular Participles
| Infinitive | Participle | Infinitive | Participle |
|---|---|---|---|
| ver | visto | poner | puesto |
| hacer | hecho | volver | vuelto |
| decir | dicho | romper | roto |
| escribir | escrito | morir | muerto |
| abrir | abierto | descubrir | descubierto |
| cubrir | cubierto | resolver | resuelto |
Examples
¿Has visto esta película?
Have you seen this movie?
ver → visto
He hecho los deberes.
I have done the homework.
hacer → hecho
¿Qué ha dicho?
What has he said?
decir → dicho
Han abierto una tienda nueva.
They have opened a new store.
abrir → abierto
4When to Use Present Perfect
Use present perfect for recent past (today, this week), life experiences, and actions with present relevance. In Spain it's common; in Latin America, the simple past is often preferred for these contexts.
Present Perfect Uses
| Use | Example | Time Expression |
|---|---|---|
| recent past | He comido hoy | hoy, esta mañana |
| this period | Este mes he viajado | este mes, esta semana |
| life experience | Nunca he estado en Japón | nunca, alguna vez |
| present relevance | He perdido mis llaves | result matters now |
Examples
Esta semana he trabajado mucho.
This week I have worked a lot.
esta semana - current period
¿Alguna vez has probado sushi?
Have you ever tried sushi?
life experience
Todavía no he desayunado.
I haven't had breakfast yet.
todavía no - not yet
Ya he terminado.
I have already finished.
ya - already