Talking about the past
What you have done
Present perfect
Connect a past event with the present; regional usage varies.
Endings refresher
Present perfect
Choose the present form of haber, then add the past participle.
| Person | Haber |
|---|---|
| yo | he |
| tú | has |
| él / ella / usted | ha |
| nosotros / nosotras | hemos |
| vosotros / vosotras | habéis |
| ellos / ellas / ustedes | han |
yo he + hecho → yo he hecho
- Regular participles: -ar → -ado; -er / -ir → -ido. Common exceptions include hecho, dicho, visto, escrito, puesto and vuelto.
- After haber, the participle does not agree with the person: hemos hecho.
- These charts use tú. Vosotros / vosotras is mainly used in Spain; ustedes uses the final row. Vos forms vary by region.
The pattern
- Forms below follow: yo, tú, él/ella/usted, nosotros, vosotros, ellos/ustedes. Vosotros is mainly used in Spain; ustedes uses the final form.
- Present haber: he, has, ha, hemos, habéis, han.
- Add a participle: -ar → -ado; -er/-ir → -ido.
- Common irregular participles: hecho, dicho, visto, escrito, puesto, vuelto.
He terminado el libro.
I have finished the book.
Why it works: He is the yo form of haber; terminado is the participle of terminar. Together they connect the finished reading with the present.
Notice the difference
Hemos terminado el libro.
We have finished the book.
Why it works: Haber changes to hemos for nosotros. Terminado stays unchanged; it does not become terminados.
One thing to watch for
With haber, the participle stays unchanged: hemos comprado, not comprados. Many regions use the preterite where others use the perfect.