THE PRESENT PERFECT TENSE

In Spanish, the PRESENT PERFECT TENSE is formed by using the PRESENT

TENSE of the verb HABER (to have), followed by the PAST PARTICIPLE
of the verb which is to be used.
Haber is called the auxiliary or helping verb, as it cannot be used on its own.

PRESENT TENSE OF HABER (to have)

(yo) he
(tú) has
(él, ella, usted) ha
(nosotros/nosotras) hemos
(ellos, ellas, ustedes) han

PAST PARTICIPLES
The PAST PARTICIPLE of REGULAR -AR VERBS is formed by removing the -ar
ending from the INFINITIVE (verb), and adding -ADO to the stem.

e.g. VERB STEM PAST PARTICIPLE

hablar (to speak) habl hablado (spoken)

The PAST PARTICIPLE of REGULAR - ER and -IR VERBS is formed by removing the
-er and -ir endings from the INFINITIVE (verb), and adding - IDO to the stem.
e.g. VERB STEM PAST PARTICIPLE
comer (to eat) com comido (eaten)
venir (to come) ven venido (come)

EXAMPLES:
Él ha hablado. - he has spoken.
Nosotros hemos comido la torta. - We have eaten the cake.
Yo he venido temprano. - I have come early.

NOTE:
1.The Present Perfect Tense tells what has happened in the recent past.
It is used to say what you or someone has done or what has happened.
2.The form of haber changes to agree with the subject.
3. The past participle in the Present Perfect Tense never changes to agree with
the subject.
4. The two parts of the (Compound) Present Perfect Tense are rarely separate.
5. Make sure that you never put anything between haber and the past participle.
e.g.
¿Ha llegado el autobús?
-Has the bus arrived?
Me has dicho la verdad?
-Have you (familiar singular) told me the truth?

BUT: Después de haberlo hecho.

- After having done it.
THE FOLLOWING VERBS HAVE IRREGULAR PAST PARTICIPLES

INFINITIVE PAST PARTICIPLE

abrir (to open) abierto (opened)

cubrir (to cover) cubierto (covered)

decir (to say,tell) dicho (said, told)

descubrir (to discover) descubierto (discovered)

deshacer (to undo, untie) deshecho (undone, untied)

devolver (to return, giveback) devuelto (returned, given back)

disponer (to arrange) dispuesto (arranged)

escribir (to write) escrito (written)

freír (to fry) frito (fried)

hacer (to do, make) hecho (done, made)

imprimir (to print) impreso (printed)

morir (to die) muerto (died)

poner (to put) puesto (put)

proveer (to provide) provisto (provided)

resolver (to resolve) resuelto (resolved)

romper (to break) roto (broken)

ver (to see) visto (seen)

volver (to return) vuelto (returned)

NOTE THE ACCENTS ON THESE PARTICIPLES:

caer (to fall) caído (fallen)

leer (to read) leído (read)
traer (to bring) traído (brought)

NOTE: acabar de + infinitive (verb) - to have just done something

e.g.
Acabo de comer. - I have just eaten.
Acabamos de llegar. - We have just arrived.

PRESENT TENSE OF ACABAR (to finish)

acabo
acabas
acaba
acabamos
acaban
EXERCISE #1
CHANGE THE FOLLOWING SENTENCES FROM THE PRESENT TENSE
TO THE PRESENT PERFECT TENSE AND TRANSLATE INTO ENGLISH.

1.Ponemos las revistas en la biblioteca.

Hemos puesto
( We have put the magazines in the library.)

2. Pablo se baña.
se ha bañado
( Paul has taken a bath.)

3. Los niños compran dulces.

han comprado
(The children have bought sweets.)

4. Mi mamá me da buen consejo.

ha dado
( My mother has given me good advice.)

5. No veo el diccionario.
he visto
(I have not seen the dictionary.)
6. Mis amigos llegan temprano.
han llegado
( My friends have arrived early.)

7. Raúl está muy enfermo. estado

ha estado
(Rawle has been very sick.)

8. Los estudiantes hacen todos los ejercicios.

han hecho
(The students have done all the exercises.)

9. El chófer conduce el carro al aeropuerto. conducir

ha conducido
The driver has driven the car to the airport.

10. La familia viaja por avión.

ha viajado
( The family has travelled by plane.)

EXERCISE #2
TRANSLATE THE FOLLOWING SENTENCES INTO SPANISH.
1. My teacher has not come today.
Mi profesora no ha venido hoy.

2. What has my brother done?

¿Qué ha hecho mi hermano?

3. I have eaten too much.

Yo he comido demasiado.
demasiado - too much

4. Have you (polite singular) seen my glasses?

¿Ha visto usted mis lentes?
los lentes - glasses

5. She has just gone out.

Ella acaba de salir. Ella ha salido. - She has left.

6. We have travelled all day.

Nosotros hemos viajado durante todo el día.
durante - during

7. My mother has been very ill.

Mi mamá ha estado muy enferma. estar muy enfermo (a)
-to be very ill
 8. Have you (fam. sing.) done all your homework?
¿Has hecho todos tus deberes?

los deberes - homework

9. He has broken his right leg.

Él se ha roto la pierna derecha.
la pierna - leg
derecho (a) - right

10.I have already set the table to have breakfast.

Ya he puesto la mesa para tomar el desayuno.

ya - already
poner la mesa - to set the table
tomar - to have something to eat or drink
el desayuno - breakfast
tomar el desayuno - to have breakfast

11. I have never been to Venezuela.

Yo no he ido nunca a Venezuela.
(double negative)
/ Nunca he ido a Venezuela.

nunca - never

12. I have not seen that film.

No he visto esa película.

la película - film

13. We have not brought anything.

Nosotros no hemos traído nada.
(double negative)
nada - nothing

14. Mary and I have not told them the news.

Maria y yo no los/ les hemos dicho las noticias.

las noticias - news

15.Have you (fam. sing.) had a shower today?

¿Te has duchado hoy?
ducharse - to have a shower

16. I have written to my friends in Spain.

He escrito a mis amigos en España.

17. At last the postman has appeared.

Por fin el cartero ha aparecido.

por fin - at last

el cartero - postman
aparecer - to appear

18. My family and I have decided to go abroad for the Summer Holidays.
Mi familia y yo hemos decidido ir al extranjero para las vacaciones del
verano.

ir al extranjero - to go abroad
las vacaciones - holidays, vacation
el verano - summer

19. My sister has bought a new pair of shoes.

Mi hermana ha comprado nuevo par de zapatos.

un par de - a pair of
 los zapatos - shoes

20. My parents have given me good advice.

Mis padres me han dado buen consejo.

el consejo - advice
dar buen consejo - to give good advice

21. Who has told you (fam. sing.) that?

¿Quién te lo has dicho?

22. We have already packed the suitcases.

Ya hemos hecho las maletas.

la maleta - suitcase
hacer las maletas -to pack the suitcases

23. I have not been able to visit you (pol. sing.)

No he podido visitarle.

24. Have you(fam. sing.) opened the packet of biscuits?

¿ Tú has abierto el paquete de galletas?

abrir - to open
el paquete - packet
 las galletas - biscuits
un paquete de galletas - a packet of biscuits

25. Many soldiers have died during the war.

Muchos soldados han muerto durante la guerra.

el soldado - soldier
morir - to die
durante - during
la guerra - war

26. Have you (pol. sing.) had a good trip?

¿ Usted ha tenido un buen viaje?

el viaje - trip
tener un buen viaje - to have a good trip

27. I have not slept all night.

No he dormido en toda la noche.
toda la noche - all night

28. He has travelled throughout the world.

El ha viajado por todo el mundo.
el mundo- world
por todo el mundo- throughout the world
29. She has just bought the tickets at the ticket booth.
Ella acaba de comprar los boletos en la taquilla.

el boleto - (entrance) ticket

el billete - (airline) ticket
La taquilla - ticket booth

30. It has rained a lot this week.

Ha llovido mucho esta semana.

PREGUNTAS

1.Qué has hecho este fin de semana?

(What have you done this weekend?)

Este fin de semana he ido a la playa.

he visitado a mis abuelos.

el fin de semana - weekend

2.Cómo se llama la última película que has visto?

(What is the name of the last film you have seen?)
 La última película que he visto es ‘’ THE MARKSMAN”

la película - film

3. ¿Qué has desayunado esta mañana?

(What have you had for breakfast this morning?)
He desayunado un sándwich de queso y un vaso de jugo.

desayunar - to have breakfast

4. ¿Cómo has venido al colegio hoy?

(How have you come to school today?

He venido en carro al colegio hoy?

venir - to come

5. ¿Has ido al extranjero?

(Have you been abroad?)

Si, he ido al extranjero muchas veces.

No he ido nunca alextranjero
Nunca he ido al extranjero.
ir al extranjero - to go abroad