The Perfect Tense in Spanish

What is it /does it mean ?

• • • • It is used in the same way as in English , when you want to say “I have done”, rather than “I did” You do not have a specific time reference (as opposed to the preterite tense), in most cases for the recent past , and often for questions and answers.

Eg “have you done your homework?” ,”have you visited Spain ?” (ever , in your life , no specific time , at some time in your life) Answer “yes, I have visited Spain” , “No , I have not done my homework”(all in Perfect tense ?)

How is it formed ?

• • • • • • • • TWO words : WORD ONE (have): for “HAVE” , use present tense of “HABER” ( NOT tener ) I have – You have-he/she/Usted has – We have You (plural /vosotros) have They have (also ustedes)

Word TWO

PAST PARTICIPLE

• As in English eg spoken , written , said , seen etc (no good on its own except as an adjective in some cases) REGULAR ONES : • -AR verbs –add – ADO to the stem • Eg hablar = HABL ADO -ER and -IR verbs (will they be the same ??) ADD – IDO to the stem Eg-comer =COM IDO Eg Vivir =VIV IDO

PUT THE TWO TOGETHER TO GET PERFECT TENSE

• • • • • I have spoken = I have eaten = I have lived = IMPORTANTE : Does the ending of the past participle ever vary its spelling in the perfect tense when used with haber ?Or is it always –ado or –ido ?

Do you always use HABER as the auxiliary verb ?

• • • Which of the two words counts as the verb when you are using a pronoun ? Can you separate them ?

Eg Have you done it ?Where to put the “it”?

¿En español ?

IRREGULAR PAST PARTICIPLES

• • • • • • • • • Abrir Cubrir Descubrir Decir Volver Devolver Disolver Resolver Escribir • • • • • • • • Describir Freír Hacer Satisfacer Morir Poner Romper Ver

• • • • • • • • Abierto Cubierto Descubierto Dicho Vuelto Devuelto Disuelto escrito

Aqui están !

İY la segunda parte !

• • • • • • • • Descrito Frito Hecho Satisfecho Muerto Puesto Roto visto

Para resumir :

• • Perfect tense always has 2 words ( in grammar terms -called a “compound “tense ie HAVE + DONE The first word is always the verb haber in the present tense • • • • • (He , has , ha , hemos , habéis ,han) The second word is called the past participle –ar=ado, er/ir=ido , check whether it is regular using the list(above) print it out and learn it , then check in your head !

The past participle NEVER changes in the perfect tense. When It is used in other ways , as an adjective ,it does agree with the noun, like all adjectives.

DON’T SPLIT THE HABER from its PAST PARTICIPLE , it will become very sad and bad Spanish !

It is used to say what HAS happened , in the recent past , with no time

reference , exactly as in English –easy to decide when to use it.

WARNING ! It is NOT EVER used to say HOW LONG you have been doing something (use desde hace , or llevar + gerund)