The Present Perfect tense

The Present Perfect is used:-- when speaking about something that was true in the past is still true

I have lived here for ten years.

-- to indicate an action that was completed recently

I can’t go out to dinner because I have eaten already.

In the Pres Perf, there is a scope of time, either stated or implied, which includes the present, but not a specific time.

I have gone to the movies five times this year.

Here, the scope of time includes all of this year until now.

How have you been implies “lately”.

The Pres Perf is a compound verb. It uses a helping verb + the Past Participle. In English, the helping verb is the Present tense of ‘have’. In Spanish, the helping verb is the Present tense of “haber”.

he hemoshas habéisha han

The patterns for regularly formed Past Participles are:

-ar verbs: drop the –ar and add adohablar → habl → hablado

-er verbs: drop the –er and add idocomer → com → comido

-ir verbs: drop the –ir and add idovivir → viv → vivido

** Note that the endings for –er and –ir verbs are the same.

Hablar

I have spoken. He hablado.

You have spoken. Has hablado.

He/she / Ud has spoken. Ha hablado.

We have spoken. Hemos hablado.

You (Spain) have spoken. Habéis hablado.

They / you (uds) have spoken. Han hablado.

Comer

I have eaten. He comido.

You have eaten. Has comido.

He / she / Ud has eaten. Ha comido.

We have eaten. Hemos comido.

You (Spain) have eaten. Habéis comido.

They / Uds have eaten. Han comido.

Vivir

I have lived. He vivido

You have lived. Has vivido.

He / she / ud has lived. Ha vivido.

We have lived. Hemos vivido.

You (Spain) have lived. Habéis vivido

They / Uds have lived. Han vivido.

I have spoken with Roberto.He hablado con Roberto.

You have been here for fifteen minutes.Tú has estado aquí por quince minutos.

Thomas has been my friend for ten years.Tomás ha sido mi amigo por diez años.

We have gone to bed.Nosotros nos hemos acostado.

Have you (vosotros) received the presents?¿Habéis recibido los regalos?

They haven’t visited him.Ellos no lo han visitado.