Chapter 8 - Grammar - The Present Perfect Flashcards
What is the “present perfect” tense?
The Present Perfect is a verb tense in Spanish that helps to express past action that is closely related to the present.
- An action that we are waiting for, but that hasn’t happened yet.
-Todavia no he llamado.
I have no called yet.
- Mis invitados no han llegado.
My guests have not arrived.
- An action that began in the past and continues into the present.
- He dormido aqui por cinco horas.
I have slept here for five hours. - Hemos vivido en Londres por dos meses.
We’ve lived in London for two months.
- An action that has happened at various times in the past and may happen again.
- Eva ha estado en Nueva York tres veces.
Eva has been to New York 3 times. - Camillo has visitado Mexico siete veces; Antonio ha ido dos veces.
Camillo has visited Mexico 7 times’ Antonio has gone 2 times.
How do you form the present perfect tense?
The present perfect is a compound tense formed with the present tense of the helping verb “haber” and the past participle of the main verb.
Yo he + comido.
I have + eaten.
Congugate “haber” into the present tense:
he
has
ha(y)
hemos
habeis
han
How do you form past participles of verbs?
By adding “ado” to -AR verbs and “ido” to -ER and -IR verbs.
-AR alquilar - alquilado apretar - apretado borrar - borrado llegar - llegado
-ER beber - bebido comer - comido ser - sido torcer - torcido
-IR advertir - advertido dormir - dormido ir - ido recibir - recibido
How is the present perfect used against the preterite?
Though they are used similarly, the present perfect is a past tense expression that has a discernable relevance to a present/future situation.
- No llamaron. - They didn’t call.
vs.
No han llamado. - They haven’t called. (Yet.) - No llegaron. - They didn’t arrive.
vs.
No han llegado. - They haven’t arrived (yet).
Where are Object Pronouns places in a Present Perfect sentence construction?
Reflexive, indirect, and direct object pronouns are always placed directly before the helping verb “haber.”
- Ellos no me han llamado.
They have not called me. - Paula te lo ha dicho.
Paula has said it to you.
How/Why do you form a present perfect construction with an infinite “haber” form?
The infinitive form of the helping verb haber is used after a preposition.
- Me alegro de haber llegado a tiempo.
I am happy to have arrived on time. - Ella se alegra de haber hecho su tarea.
She is happen to have done her homework.
Past participle of: ser
sido
Past participle of: ir
ido
Past participle of: atraer
atrai´do
Past participle of: caer
cai´do
Past participle of: creer
crei´do
Past participle of: leer
lei´do
Past participle of: oi´r
oi´do
Past participle of: traer
trai´do
