Copyright © 2014 Vista Higher Learning. All rights reserved. 7.1–1 In Spanish, as in English, the present perfect tense (el pretérito perfecto) expresses what has happened. It generally refers to recently completed actions or to a past that still bears relevance in the present. Mi jefe ha decidido que a partir de esta semana hay que comunicarse por Internet y no gastar en llamadas internacionales. My boss has decided that as of this week we have to communicate through the Internet rather than spend money on international calls. Juan ha terminado la carrera de ingeniería, pero aún no ha decidido qué va a hacer a partir de ahora. Juan has graduated as an engineer, but he still hasn’t decided what to do from now on.

Copyright © 2014 Vista Higher Learning. All rights reserved. 7.1–2 The present perfect is formed with the present tense of the verb haber and a past participle. Regular past participles are formed by adding –ado to the stem of –ar verbs and –ido to the stem of –er and –ir verbs.

Copyright © 2014 Vista Higher Learning. All rights reserved. 7.1–3 Note that past participles do not change form in the present perfect tense. Todavía no hemos comprado la computadora nueva. We still haven’t bought the new computer. La bióloga aún no ha terminado su trabajo de investigación. The biologist hasn’t finished her research work yet.

Copyright © 2014 Vista Higher Learning. All rights reserved. 7.1–4 When the stem of an –er or –ir verb ends in a, e, or o, the past participle requires a written accent (ído) to maintain the correct stress. No accent mark is needed for stems ending in u. ca-er  caídole-er  leído o-ír  oídoconstru-ir  construido

Copyright © 2014 Vista Higher Learning. All rights reserved. 7.1–5 Several verbs have irregular past participles. Perdón, es que he escrito cuatro mensajes por correo electrónico y no me han resuelto el problema. Excuse me, but I have written four s and you still haven’t solved my problem. El ingeniero me asegura que ya ha visto sus mensajes y dice que muy pronto lo llamará. The engineer assures me that he has seen your s and says he will call you soon.

Copyright © 2014 Vista Higher Learning. All rights reserved. 7.1–6 In the present perfect, pronouns and the word no always precede the verb haber, which cannot be separated from the past participle by any other word. ¿Por qué no has patentado todavía tu invento? Why haven’t you patented your invention yet? ¡Todavía no lo he terminado de perfeccionar! I haven’t finished perfecting it yet!

Copyright © 2014 Vista Higher Learning. All rights reserved. 7.1–7 Note that, when a past participle is used as an adjective, it must agree in number and gender with the noun it modifies. Past participles are often used as adjectives with estar or other verbs to describe physical or emotional states. Las fórmulas matemáticas ya están preparadas. Los laboratorios están cerrados hasta el lunes. The mathematical equations are already prepared. The laboratories are closed until Monday.

Copyright © 2014 Vista Higher Learning. All rights reserved. 7.2–8 The past perfect The past perfect tense (el pluscuamperfecto) is formed with the imperfect of haber and a past participle. As with other perfect tenses, the past participle does not change form.

Copyright © 2014 Vista Higher Learning. All rights reserved. 7.2–9 Past perfect In Spanish, as in English, the past perfect expresses what someone had done or what had occurred before another action or condition in the past. Decidí comprar una cámara digital nueva porque la vieja se me había roto varias veces. Cuando por fin les dieron la patente, otros ingenieros ya habían inventado una tecnología mejor. I decided to buy a new digital camera because the old one had broken on me several times. When they were finally given the patent, other engineers had already invented a better technology.

Copyright © 2014 Vista Higher Learning. All rights reserved. 7.2–10 Past Perfect Antes, nunca, todavía, and ya are often used with the past perfect to indicate that one action occurred before another. Note that adverbs, pronouns, and the word no may not separate haber from the past participle.

Copyright © 2014 Vista Higher Learning. All rights reserved. 7.2–11 Cuando se desconectó la computadora, aún no había guardado el documento. María Eugenia y Gisela nunca habían visto una estrella fugaz tan luminosa antes. When the computer got disconnected, I hadn’t yet saved the document. María Eugenia y Gisela had never seen such a bright shooting star before. Ya me había explicado la teoría, pero no la entendí hasta que vi el experimento. Los ovnis todavía no habían aterrizado, pero los terrícolas ya estaban corriendo asustados. He had already explained the theory to me, but I didn’t understand it until I saw the experiment. The UFOs hadn’t yet landed, but the earthlings were already running scared. The Past Perfect

Copyright © 2014 Vista Higher Learning. All rights reserved. 10.1–12 The future perfect The future perfect tense (el futuro perfecto) is formed with the future of haber and a past participle.

Copyright © 2014 Vista Higher Learning. All rights reserved. 10.1–13 The future perfect The future perfect is used to express what will have happened at a certain point. The phrase para + [time expression] is often used with the future perfect. Ya habré leído la novela para el lunes. Para el año que viene, los arquitectos habrán diseñado el nuevo museo. I will already have read the novel by Monday. By next year, the architects will have designed the new museum.

Copyright © 2014 Vista Higher Learning. All rights reserved. 10.1–14 The future perfect Antes de (que), cuando, dentro de, and hasta (que) are also used with time expressions or other verb forms to indicate when the action in the future perfect will have happened. Cuando lleguemos al teatro, ya habrá empezado la obra. Lo habré terminado dentro de dos horas. When we get to the theater, the play will have already started. I will have finished it within two hours.

Copyright © 2014 Vista Higher Learning. All rights reserved. 10.1–15 The future perfect The future perfect may also express supposition or probability regarding a past action. ¿Habrá tenido éxito la exposición de este fin de semana? No lo sé, pero habrá ido mucha gente a verla. I wonder if this weekend’s exhibition was a success? I don’t know, but a lot of people must have gone to see it.

Copyright © 2014 Vista Higher Learning. All rights reserved. 10.2–16 The Conditional Perfect The conditional perfect tense (el condicional perfecto) is formed with the conditional of haber and a past participle.

Copyright © 2014 Vista Higher Learning. All rights reserved. 10.2–17 The Conditional Perfect The conditional perfect tense is used to express what would have occurred but did not. Juan habría ido al museo, pero ya tenía otros planes. Otros actores habrían representado mejor esta obra. Juan would have gone to the museum, but he had other plans. Other actors would have performed this play better. Seguramente, habrías ganado la apuesta. Creo que Andrés habría sido un gran pintor. You probably would have won the bet.I think Andrés would have been a great painter.

Copyright © 2014 Vista Higher Learning. All rights reserved. 10.2–18 The Conditional Perfect The conditional perfect may also express probability or conjecture about the past. ¿Habrían apreciado los críticos su gran creatividad? Los habría sorprendido con su talento. I wonder if the critics had appreciated her great creativity. She must have surprised them with her talent.