The present perfect is a past tense that is connected to the present. The present perfect is formed of the auxiliary verb haber and the participle of the main verb:
Mi barba ha crecido mucho en los últimos días.
My beard has grown a lot in the last few days.
The auxiliary verb haber is conjugated according to the subject in the present tense. The participle (the main verb of the present perfect) is formed as follows:
- verbs ending in –ar (levantar) get the ending –ado
- verbs ending in -er and -ir (sentir) get the ending –ido
Hoy he levantado más peso en el gimnasio.
Today I have lifted more weight in the gym.
Me he sentido un poco débil hoy.
I have felt a little weak today.
| Formation of the present perfect: | |
|---|---|
| he | + participle of the main verb |
| has | |
| ha | |
| hemos | |
| habéis | |
| han | |
Note that only the auxiliary verb haber is conjugated according to the subject:
He comido sushi muchas veces.
I have eaten sushi many times.
Hemos comido sushi muchas veces.
We have eaten sushi many times.
| Translation | Base form | Participle |
|---|---|---|
| to open | abrir | abierto |
| to cover | cubrir | cubierto |
| to say | decir | dicho |
| to write | escribir | escrito |
| to fry | freír | frito |
| to do, to make | hacer | hecho |
| to die | morir | muerto |
| to put | poner | puesto |
| to resolve | resolver | resuelto |
| to break | romper | roto |
| to see | ver | visto |
| to return | volver | vuelto |
¿Has visto a María hoy?
Have you seen María today?
Ellos han abierto su tienda.
They have opened their shop.
The negation no is placed before the auxiliary verb haber (he) and the participle (comido). There is never anything between the auxiliary verb haber and the participle:
No he comido nada hoy.
I haven’t eaten anything today.
The reflexive pronoun (me) of the reflexive verb is placed before the verb haber in the present perfect:
Me he olvidado de las llaves.
I have forgotten my keys.
The present perfect is often used with e.g. the following time expressions:
- hoy = today
- esta semana = this week
- este mes = this month
- este año = this year
- nunca = never
- siempre = always
Hoy he ido al spa.
Today I’ve gone to the spa.
Nunca han comido paella.
They have never eaten paella.
The participle, which is formed of the main verb, can also be used with the verb estar. In this case, the participles indicate conditions and circumstances. Note that the participle is inflected like an adjective with the verb estar:
La ventana está abierta / cerrada.
The window is open / closed.