LEARN SPANISH "PRETÉRITO PERFECTO COMPUESTO" (PRESENT PERFECT SIMPLE) INDICATIVE MOOD

Hablar (to speak) Correr (to run) Añadir (to add)

To form the "pretérito perfecto compuesto" (present perfect simple) of the indicative mood, we need to use the auxiliary verb "haber" (have) in its present simple and the past participle of another verb. To form the past participle of the regular verbs in Spanish, we need to take the verb as we find it in the dictionary and remove the last two letters. Then, if the verb ends in "-ar" we will add the ending "-ado" and if the verb ends in "-er" or "-ir" we will add the ending "-ido".

Example

For the verbs ending in -ar:

Example: We take the verb "hablar" (to speak). We remove the "-ar". We are left with "habl-" (the stem) and then we add "-ado". In this way we have the past participle of the verb "hablar" (to speak).

To conjugate the pretérito perfecto compuesto (present perfect simple) of the verb"hablar" (to speak) we will use the present simple tense of the verb "haber" (to have) and the past participle of the verb "hablar" (to speak).

For the verbs ending in -er:

Example: We take the verb "correr" (to run). We remove the "-er": We are left with corr- (the stem) and then we add "-ido". In this way we have the past participle of the verb "correr" (to run).

To conjugate the pretérito perfecto compuesto (present perfect simple) of the verb "correr" (to run) we will use the present simple tense of the verb "haber" (to have) and the past participle of the verb "correr" (to run).

For the verbs ending in -ir:

Example: We take the verb "añadir" (to add). We remove the "-ir": We are left with añad- (the stem) and then we add "-ido". In this way we have the past participle of the verb "añadir" (to add).

To conjugate the pretérito perfecto compuesto (present perfect simple) of the verb "añadir" (to add) we will use the present simple tense of the verb "haber" (to have) and the past participle of the verb "añadir" (to add).

The differences between the persons "tú" (you), "vosotros" (you all), "usted" (you formal) and "ustedes" (you all formal) are explained in Spanish Personal Pronouns.

Some of the irregular verbs will be conjugated exactly in the same form, adding the same sets of endings; the only difference is that they will have some spelling changes in the stem of the verb. ***Remember*** Spanish Irregular verbs can be highly irregular and the general rule is "The rules do not apply". Download our free Spanish verb Trainer and practice .

SOME GENERAL USES

We use the "pretérito perfecto compuesto" (present perfect simple) to talk generally about past experiences in our life. We do not say exactly when our experiences happened.

Example

He estado en América.

I have been to America

He estado en la National Gallery en Londres.

I have been to the National Gallery in London

¿Ha probado ella ese plato?

Has she tasted that dish?

The "pretérito perfecto compuesto" (present perfect simple) is also used to express unfinished situations.

Example

Todavía no he leído ese libro que me recomendaste.

I have not read that book you recommended to me yet

We also use the "pretérito perfecto compuesto" (present perfect simple) to express an action that started in the past and still has consequences in the present moment.

Example

Ha escrito sólo un libro pero se ha ganado la fama.

She has written only one book but she has made a name for herself

She wrote the book in the past, the book is complete and published, but the consequences of writing that book are still present now as she still enjoys of her fame

Han comprado una casa nueva.

They have bought a new house

In this example the consequence of the action is that they still have the house they bought in the past.

With the present perfect simple we can find words to indicate the duration of the action, the moment it started, etc such: durante (for), todavía (still), ya (yet), ya (already), alguna vez (ever), justo ahora (just) y desde (since).

Example

He estado aquí durante horas.

I have been here for hours

Han tenido este coche desde que se casaron.

They have had that car since they got married

Todavía no hemos oído de ellos.

We still have not heard from them

Todavía no te lo has pensado.

You have not thought about it yet

Ella ya se ha ido.

She has already gone

¿Has volado alguna vez en helicóptero?

Have you ever flown in a helicopter?

Acabas de perder tu autobús.

You have just missed your bus

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