Present Perfect in Spanish

The present perfect is a verb tense in Spanish that we use to talk about past actions that have a connection or relevance in the present.

In this article, we will learn what the present perfect is, how it is formed, its uses, and the common mistakes we should avoid. Let’s go!

What is the Present Perfect in Spanish?

The present perfect is used to talk about past actions that are somehow connected to the present. This can be because the action occurred recently, or because the effect or result of that action is still important in the present. Examples of sentences in the present perfect:

• He comido demasiado hoy. (I have eaten too much today.) (past action with effect in the present)
• Hemos terminado el proyecto esta mañana. (We finished the project this morning.) (recent action)
• Mis padres han viajado a Italia varias veces. (My parents have traveled to Italy several times.) (relevant experience)
• Ya has hecho los deberes. (You have already done your homework.) (completed action that is still important)
• He visto esa película tres veces. (I have seen that movie three times.) (past experience that remains relevant)

How to Form the Present Perfect in Spanish

To form the present perfect, we need the verb “haber” (have) in the present and the past participle of the main verb. The participle is formed by adding “-ado” for -ar verbs and “-ido” for verbs that end in -er and -ir.

Structure of the Present Perfect

Examples with Regular Verbs:

-ar Verbs:

Example with the verb hablar (speak): he hablado, has hablado, ha hablado, hemos hablado, habéis hablado, han hablado. (I have spoken, you have spoken, he/she has spoken, we have spoken, you all have spoken, they have spoken.)

Examples of verbs in the present perfect with -ar ending:

• Yo he hablado con el profesor. (I have spoken with the teacher.)
• Tú has hablado mucho hoy. (You have talked a lot today.)
• Ella ha hablado sobre su viaje. (She has talked about her trip.)
• Nosotros hemos hablado de nuestros planes. (We have talked about our plans.)
• Ellos han hablado de política. (They have talked about politics.)

-er Verbs:

Example with the verb comer (eat): he comido, has comido, ha comido, hemos comido, habéis comido, han comido. (I have eaten, you have eaten, he/she has eaten, we have eaten, you all have eaten, they have eaten.)

Examples of verbs in the present perfect with -er ending:

• Yo he comido pizza. (I have eaten pizza.)
• Tú has comido poco hoy. (You have eaten little today.)
• Él ha comido en ese restaurante. (He has eaten at that restaurant.)
• Nosotros hemos comido juntos. (We have eaten together.)
• Ellos han comido demasiado. (They have eaten too much.)

-ir Verbs:

Example with the verb vivir (live): he vivido, has vivido, ha vivido, hemos vivido, habéis vivido, han vivido. (I have lived, you have lived, he/she has lived, we have lived, you all have lived, they have lived.)

Examples of verbs in the present perfect with -ir ending:

• Yo he vivido en México. (I have lived in Mexico.)
• Tú has vivido en muchas ciudades. (You have lived in many cities.)
• Ella ha vivido en Europa. (She has lived in Europe.)
• Nosotros hemos vivido aquí desde hace años. (We have lived here for years.)
• Ellos han vivido en el campo. (They have lived in the countryside.)

Irregular Verbs in the Present Perfect

Some verbs have irregular participles in the present perfect, so they do not follow the normal rules of formation. Below, we will review some examples of the most common irregular verbs.

Examples of irregular verbs in the present perfect:

1. Hacer (to do) → hecho

• Yo he hecho la tarea. (I have done the homework.)
• Tú has hecho un buen trabajo. (You have done a good job.)
• Él ha hecho la cena. (He has made dinner.)
• Nosotros hemos hecho ejercicio. (We have exercised.)
• Ellos han hecho sus planes. (They have made their plans.)

2. Decir (to say) → dicho

• Yo he dicho la verdad. (I have told the truth.)
• Tú has dicho algo importante. (You have said something important.)
• Ella ha dicho que vendrá. (She has said that she will come.)
• Nosotros hemos dicho nuestras opiniones. (We have expressed our opinions.)
• Ellos han dicho muchas cosas. (They have said many things.)

3. Escribir (to write) → escrito

• Yo he escrito una carta. (I have written a letter.)
• Tú has escrito el informe. (You have written the report.)
• Él ha escrito un libro. (He has written a book.)
• Nosotros hemos escrito juntos. (We have written together.)
• Ellos han escrito sus memorias. (They have written their memoirs.)

4. Ver (to see) → visto

• Yo he visto esa película. (I have seen that movie.)
• Tú has visto a tus amigos. (You have seen your friends.)
• Ella ha visto el atardecer. (She has seen the sunset.)
• Nosotros hemos visto muchas cosas. (We have seen many things.)
• Ellos han visto un cambio. (They have seen a change.)

5. Abrir (to open) → abierto

• Yo he abierto la puerta. (I have opened the door.)
• Tú has abierto el regalo. (You have opened the gift.)
• Él ha abierto la ventana. (He has opened the window.)
• Nosotros hemos abierto el debate. (We have opened the debate.)
• Ellos han abierto sus corazones. (They have opened their hearts.)

Uses of the Present Perfect in Spanish

The present perfect is primarily used for:

Recent Actions

Things that happened recently but are still relevant in the present.

• Hoy he terminado mi trabajo. (Today I have finished my work.)
• Ya he comido hoy. (I have already eaten today.)
• Este mes hemos viajado mucho. (This month we have traveled a lot.)
• Mi hermana ha llegado hace un momento. (My sister arrived a moment ago.)
• Mis amigos han salido. (My friends have left.)

Personal Experiences or Achievements

Situations that are not located in a specific time.

• He probado comida exótica. (I have tried exotic food.)
• Tú has conocido a muchas celebridades. (You have met many celebrities.)
• Él ha vivido en muchos países. (He has lived in many countries.)
• Nosotros hemos aprendido mucho. (We have learned a lot.)
• Ellos han trabajado en varios proyectos. (They have worked on several projects.)

Actions in a Time Period That Has Not Yet Ended

Such as "today" or "this year."

• Esta semana he hecho mucho ejercicio. (This week I have exercised a lot.)
• Este año hemos leído muchos libros. (This year we have read many books.)
• Hoy has trabajado bastante. (You have worked quite a bit today.)
• En este mes hemos comido sano. (This month we have eaten healthily.)
• Esta mañana han estudiado juntos. (They studied together this morning.)

Present Perfect Indicative and Subjunctive

Present Perfect Indicative:

It is used to talk about actions with relevance in the present. Examples of using the present perfect indicative:

• He terminado el proyecto. (I have finished the project.)
• Hemos hablado de eso. (We have talked about that.)
• Ella ha venido temprano. (She has come early.)
• ¿Has estudiado hoy? (Have you studied today?)
• Ellos han hecho los deberes. (They have done their homework.)

Present Perfect Subjunctive:

It is used to express wishes, doubts, or emotions in the present. Examples of using the present perfect subjunctive:

• Espero que hayas llegado bien. (I hope you have arrived well.)
• Me alegra que hayas terminado. (I’m glad you have finished.)
• Dudo que él haya estudiado. (I doubt that he has studied.)
• Es posible que no hayamos comido suficiente. (It is possible that we have not eaten enough.)
• No creo que hayan visto la noticia. (I don’t think they have seen the news.)

Common Mistakes with the Present Perfect and How to Avoid Them

When learning the present perfect, it is easy to make some mistakes, especially when it comes to differentiating this verb tense from others or when using irregular participles. Now we will look at the most common mistakes and how you can avoid them:

Confusion Between the Present Perfect and the Simple Past

In Spanish, we use the present perfect to talk about recent actions or those that have a connection to the present, while the simple past is used for specific actions that have no relation to the present.

• Incorrect: Ayer he comido en un restaurante nuevo. (Yesterday I have eaten at a new restaurant.)
• Correct: Ayer comí en un restaurante nuevo. (Yesterday I ate at a new restaurant.)

Forgetting the Verb “Haber” in the Compound Tense

The present perfect always needs the verb “haber” in the present, followed by the participle. If we omit “haber,” the phrase becomes incomplete.

• Incorrect: Yo visto esa película muchas veces.
• Correct: Yo he visto esa película muchas veces. (I have seen that movie many times.)

Confusion Between Regular and Irregular Participles

Some verbs in Spanish have irregular forms in the participle that do not follow the common -ado or -ido endings. Remembering these irregular verbs is essential to avoid mistakes.

• Incorrect: Ella ha escribido una carta. 
• Correct: Ella ha escrito una carta. (She has written a letter.)

Incorrect Use of the Subjunctive When the Indicative Should Be Used

Sometimes, it is easy to confuse when to use the indicative mood and when to use the subjunctive in the present perfect. Remember that we use the indicative for facts and the subjunctive in cases of doubt, wishes, or expressions of emotion or uncertainty.

• Incorrect: Estoy feliz que has venido a la fiesta.
• Correct: Estoy feliz de que hayas venido a la fiesta. (I am happy that you have come to the party.)

Confusion with the Present When Talking About Past Experiences

Another common mistake is to use the present to talk about experiences instead of the present perfect. In Spanish, to talk about things we have done at some point in the past, we use the present perfect.

• Incorrect: Yo veo esa película muchas veces. (I see that movie many times.)
• Correct: Yo he visto esa película muchas veces. (I have seen that movie many times.)

Practicing these details will help improve your use of the present perfect in Spanish.

Summary

The present perfect is ideal for expressing past actions that remain relevant or important in the present. Learning to differentiate its use in the indicative and subjunctive can help you communicate more precisely and naturally in Spanish. 

Keep practicing through the Promova app, and you will see how your Spanish improves in no time!