Present perfect - preterito perfecto

Summary

This video explains how to use the present perfect tense in both English and Spanish, highlighting the similarities and differences between the two languages. It details how the present perfect is formed in English using 'have/has' and the past participle, with examples like 'I have eaten' and 'she has traveled.' In Spanish, the auxiliary verb 'haber' is used alongside verb endings like -ado and -ido for regular verbs. The tutorial walks through conjugation patterns and provides clear examples for regular verbs in both languages, emphasizing key grammatical rules for learners to grasp the tense effectively.

Takeaways

• 😀 The present perfect tense in Spanish is formed by combining the verb 'haber' with the past participle of the main verb.
• 😀 The verb 'haber' is irregular in the present perfect tense and has the following conjugations: he, has, ha, hemos, habéis, han.
• 😀 The past participle of verbs ending in -ar is formed by removing the -ar and adding -ado (e.g., comer → comido).
• 😀 The past participle of verbs ending in -er or -ir is formed by removing the -er or -ir and adding -ido (e.g., vivir → vivido).
• 😀 The verb 'haber' is used specifically in the present perfect tense, not for the simple idea of possession (e.g., I have a car).
• 😀 Irregular verbs in the present perfect require memorization of their past participles, such as 'hacer' → 'hecho' and 'decir' → 'dicho'.
• 😀 The present perfect tense expresses actions that have occurred in the past but are relevant to or connected with the present.
• 😀 The structure of the present perfect in Spanish is: subject + conjugated 'haber' + past participle (e.g., He comido, Ella ha viajado).
• 😀 The verb 'tener' is not used in the present perfect tense to mean possession; instead, 'haber' is used for this tense.
• 😀 Regular verbs in the present perfect follow the same pattern: -ar verbs → -ado, and -er/-ir verbs → -ido, which is similar to the formation in English.

Q & A

What is the present perfect tense in English?

The present perfect tense in English describes actions that have been completed at some point in the past but are relevant to the present. For example, 'I have eaten,' 'she has traveled,' and 'they have lived.'

How is the second part of the verb formed in the present perfect tense?

In the present perfect tense, the second part of the verb (the past participle) is formed by modifying regular verbs. For verbs ending in -AR, -ER, or -IR, the endings change to -ADO or -IDO. For example, 'comer' (to eat) becomes 'comido' (eaten).

What happens to regular verbs in the present perfect tense in Spanish?

Regular verbs in the present perfect tense change based on their endings. If the verb ends in -AR, it becomes -ADO. If it ends in -ER or -IR, it changes to -IDO. For example, 'viajar' (to travel) becomes 'viajado' (traveled), and 'vivir' (to live) becomes 'vivido' (lived).

How do we form the present perfect tense in Spanish?

To form the present perfect tense in Spanish, we use the verb 'haber' (to have) in the present tense along with the past participle of the main verb. For example, 'I have eaten' becomes 'he comido.'

What is the verb 'haber' used for in the present perfect tense?

'Haber' is used in the present perfect tense as an auxiliary verb to indicate that an action has been completed. It is conjugated in the present tense, such as 'he' for 'I have,' 'has' for 'you have,' and 'ha' for 'he/she has.'

Can 'haber' be used in other contexts apart from the present perfect tense?

No, 'haber' is typically only used as an auxiliary verb in the present perfect tense. For normal expressions like 'I have a car' or 'we have books,' we use the verb 'tener.'

How does the verb conjugation for 'haber' work in the present perfect tense?

'Haber' follows a specific conjugation pattern in the present tense: 'he' (I have), 'has' (you have), 'ha' (he/she has), 'hemos' (we have), 'habéis' (you all have), and 'han' (they have).

What happens to irregular verbs in the present perfect tense?

Irregular verbs in the present perfect tense don't follow the typical -ADO or -IDO endings. They have unique past participles, such as 'ir' (to go), which becomes 'ido' (gone), or 'hacer' (to do), which becomes 'hecho' (done).

What is the role of the auxiliary verb 'haber' in the formation of sentences like 'I have eaten'?

In sentences like 'I have eaten,' the auxiliary verb 'haber' ('he') helps form the present perfect tense. It is combined with the past participle of the main verb ('comido' in this case) to indicate that the action was completed at some point before the present.

How do you say 'I have eaten' in Spanish using the present perfect tense?

In Spanish, 'I have eaten' is translated as 'he comido.' 'He' is the first person singular form of 'haber,' and 'comido' is the past participle of 'comer' (to eat).