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Teaching guidelines +/- 15 minutes

Learn how to form the Spanish pretérito perfecto using the verb "haber" + participio, such as "he tomado" (I have taken) and "has hablado" (you have spoken). This lesson covers regular participles ending in "-ado" and "-ido" plus key irregulars like "escrito" and "hecho."
  1. It is used for actions that have happened recently or that have occurred but are not yet finished.
  2. The participle of regular verbs is formed by adding the endings "-ado" (verbs in "-ar") or "-ido" (for verbs in "-er" and "-ir").
  3. The past participle is invariable. It is the same for all personal pronouns.
Conjugación de "haber" (Conjugation of "haber")Participio  (Participle)Ejemplo (Example)
Yo hetomadoHe tomado una bebida en el bar. (I have had a drink at the bar.)
Tú hasHas tomado el menú en el restaurante. (You have taken the menu in the restaurant.)
Él/ella haHa tomado un plato en la pizzería. (Has taken a dish at the pizzeria.)
Nosotros/-as hemosHemos tomado el postre en la cafetería. (We have had dessert in the café.)
Vosotros/-as habéisHabéis tomado un café en el restaurante. (You have had a coffee in the restaurant.)
Ellos/-as hanHan tomado la bebida que les gustaba. (They have taken the drink they liked.)

Exceptions!

  1. 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.

Show translation Show answers

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.)

Understanding the Use of "Haber" + Past Participle: The Present Perfect Tense in Spanish

This lesson focuses on the formation and practical use of the pretérito perfecto, known in English as the present perfect tense. It is essential for expressing actions that have recently happened or events that started in the past and continue to affect the present.

How to Form the Present Perfect in Spanish

The present perfect tense combines two parts: the verb "haber" conjugated in the present tense and a past participle. The past participle is derived from the main verb and remains the same regardless of the subject.

  • Conjugation of "haber" in present tense: yo he, tú has, él/ella ha, nosotros/-as hemos, vosotros/-as habéis, ellos/-as han
  • Formation of past participles: For regular verbs ending in -ar, add -ado (e.g., tomado). For verbs ending in -er or -ir, add -ido (e.g., bebido, vivido).

Examples from the Lesson

  • He tomado una bebida en el bar. (I have had a drink at the bar.)
  • Has tomado el menú en el restaurante. (You have taken the menu at the restaurant.)
  • Hemos tomado el postre en la cafetería. (We have eaten the dessert at the café.)

Irregular Past Participles to Remember

Some verbs have irregular past participles that do not follow the standard pattern. Examples include:

  • escribir – escrito
  • abrir – abierto
  • hacer – hecho
  • decir – dicho
  • ver – visto
  • romper – roto

Usage Tips

The present perfect is used primarily to discuss actions that have occurred recently or have relevance to the present moment. Unlike English, where the auxiliary verb is “have,” in Spanish, it is always the verb haber regardless of the subject.

Differences Compared to English

Unlike English, Spanish past participles do not change to agree with gender or number when used with haber. For example, He comido applies to all subjects and both masculine and feminine contexts. In English, the auxiliary verb changes based on the subject (I have, you have), but the past participle remains unchanged.

Some useful phrases related to this tense include:

  • He estado – I have been
  • Has visto – You have seen
  • Hemos hecho – We have done

Understanding these forms and when to use them will help you describe recent past actions smoothly and naturally in Spanish conversations.

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