Learn how to form and use the Spanish present perfect tense using "haber" plus the past participle. This lesson covers conjugation, regular and irregular participles, and practical examples with clear explanations suitable for A1 level learners.
- It is used for actions that have happened recently or that have occurred but are not yet finished.
- The participle of regular verbs is formed by adding the endings "-ado" (verbs in "-ar") or "-ido" (for verbs in "-er" and "-ir").
- The past participle is invariable. It is the same for all personal pronouns.
| Conjugación de "haber" (Conjugation of "haber") | Participio (Participle) | Ejemplo (Example) |
|---|---|---|
| Yo he | tomado | He tomado una bebida en el bar. (I have had a drink at the bar.) |
| Tú has | Has tomado el menú en el restaurante. (You have taken the menu in the restaurant.) | |
| Él/ella ha | Ha tomado un plato en la pizzería. (Has taken a dish at the pizzeria.) | |
| Nosotros/-as hemos | Hemos tomado el postre en la cafetería. (We have had dessert in the café.) | |
| Vosotros/-as habéis | Habéis tomado un café en el restaurante. (You have had a coffee in the restaurant.) | |
| Ellos/-as han | Han tomado la bebida que les gustaba. (They have taken the drink they liked.) |
Exceptions!
- Some participles are irregular. For example: "escribir - escrito, abrir - abierto, hacer - hecho, decir - dicho, ver- visto, romper - roto."
Exercise 1: "Haber" + participio (el pretérito perfecto)
Instruction: Fill in the correct word.
hemos tomado, he tomado, han comido, ha comido, habéis tomado, han bebido, hemos bebido, has tomado
1.
Beber:
Ellos ... un zumo en la cafetería.
(They have drunk a juice in the café.)
2.
Comer:
Ella ... un plato de pasta en el restaurante italiano.
(She has eaten a plate of pasta at the Italian restaurant.)
3.
Beber:
Nosotras ... una bebida en el bar.
(We have drunk a drink in the pub.)
4.
Tomar:
Nosotros ... una bebida fría en la cafetería.
(We have had a cold drink in the café.)
5.
Tomar:
Tú ... tu plato favorito en el restaurante.
(You have taken your favourite dish in the restaurant.)
6.
Tomar:
Vosotros ... el menú para leerlo.
(You have taken the menu to read it.)
7.
Comer:
Ellas ... un postre después de la cena.
(They have eaten a dessert after dinner.)
8.
Tomar:
Yo ... un postre pequeño.
(I have had a small dessert.)
Exercise 2: Multiple Choice
Instruction: Choose the correct solution
1. He ______ el plato del día en el restaurante.
(I have ______ the dish of the day at the restaurant.)2. Hemos ______ una bebida fría en el bar.
(We have ______ a cold drink at the bar.)3. ¿Has ______ con el camarero para reservar una mesa?
(Have you ______ with the waiter to reserve a table?)4. He ______ una propina después de cenar en la pizzería.
(I have ______ a tip after dining at the pizzeria.)5. Han ______ platos típicos de la cocina española.
(They have ______ typical dishes of Spanish cuisine.)6. He ______ en España y he visitado muchos restaurantes.
(I have ______ in Spain and have visited many restaurants.)