2. Presente perfecto
• Is formed by combining the auxiliary (helping)
verb “has” or “have” with the past participle.
(haber + past participle)
• We use present perfect tense to express an
action that started in the past & is continuing
into the present.
3. Presente perfecto
• Because the present perfect is a compound
tense, two verbs are required: the main verb
and the auxiliary verb.
– For example: I have grown three kinds of
marigold.
– Have (helping verb) and grown (main verb.)
– He has written a letter to Maria.
– Has (helping verb) and written (main verb.)
4. Presente perfecto
(haber) = to have
• In Spanish, the present perfect tense is
formed by using the present tense of the
auxiliary verb “haber” with the past
participle.
• the past participle is formed by dropping the
infinitive ending and adding either (-ar) -ado
or (-er/-ir) -ido.
5. Haber
• He
• Has
• Ha
• Hemos
• Habéis
• han
• I have
• You have
• He/she has
• We have
• You have
• They have
6. Example of presente perfecto
Comer (to eat)
• (yo) he comido
• (tú) has comido
• (él/ella) ha comido
• (nosotros) hemos comido
• (vosotros) habéis comido
• (ellos/ellas) han comido
– Notice that when the past
participle is used with forms
of haber, the final –o never
changes.
• I have eaten.
• You have eaten
• He has eaten
• We have eaten
• You – (all) have eaten
• They have eaten
7. Presento perfecto
• When studying the past participle, one
practices using it as an adjective.
• When used as an adjective, the past participle
changes to agree with the noun it modifies.
However, when used in the perfect tenses,
the past participle never changes.
8. Examples
• Past participle used an adjective:
– La cuenta está pagada.
– The bill is paid.
• Past participle used in the present perfect
tense:
– He pagado la cuenta.
– I have paid the bill.
9. Let’s look more carefully at the last
example:
– Juan ha pagado las cuentas.
– Juan has paid the bills.
• Notice that we use “ha” to agree with “Juan”. We do NOT
use “han” to agree with “cuentas.” The auxiliary (helping)
verb is conjugated for the subject of the sentence, not the
object.
– Juan y Maria han viajado a España.
– Juan and Maria have traveled to Spain.
• In the first example, we use “ha” because the subject of the
sentence is “Juan”. In the second example, we use “han”
because the subject of the sentence is “Juan y Maria.”
10. Present perfect
• Is often used with adverb “ya”
– Ya han comido
– They have already eaten.
– La empleada ya ha limpiado la casa.
– The maid has already cleaned the house.
11. Presente perfecto
• The auxiliary verb and the past participle are
NEVER separated. To make the sentence
negative, add the word “no” before the
conjugated form of haber.
– (yo) No he comido. (I have not eaten.)
– (tú) No has comdio. (You have not eaten.)
12. Presente perfecto
• Object pronouns are placed immediately
before the auxiliary verb.
– Pablo le ha dado much dinero a su hermana.
– Pablo has given a lot of money to his sister.
13. Review
• The present perfect tense is used to express action
that began in the past and continues into the
present.
• Is formed by combining the auxiliary verb “has” or
“have” with the past participle. Haber + past
participle
• The auxiliary verb is conjugated for the subject of the
sentence, not the object.
• Is often used with adverb “ya”
• To make the sentence negative, add the word “no”
before the conjugated form of haber.
