The Perfect Tenses Present perfect INDICATIVE, pluperfect INDICATIVE, future perfect, conditional perfect, PRESENT PERFECT SUBJUNCTIVE, PLUPERFECT SUBJUNCTIVE

Perfect Tenses are Compound Tenses A compound tense is one made up of two or more words, and certain examples of compound tenses appear elsewhere, such as the present progressive tense, when the verb estar (“to be”) is combined with the present participle of another verb—e.g., cantando, comiendo (“singing”, “eating”). A perfect tense, in English and in Spanish, is a type of compound tense that is made up of a form of the auxiliary verb “to have”–haber in Spanish– in combination with the past participle of another verb, which is the main verb. This past participle in English regularly ends in –ed. In Spanish, the endings are regularly –ado, -ido.

Past Participle (of the Main Verb) The past participle in Spanish is equivalent to the English –ed ending. However, there are many irregular past participles in English. The past participle is formed by dropping the –ar from the –ar verbs and adding –ado to the infinitive stem. There are no irregular –ar past participles in Spanish. Example: nevar (to snow) – nevado (snowed) cantar (to sing) – cantado (sung) nadar (to swim) – nadado (swum) For –er/–ir verbs, drop the –er or –ir and add –ido to the infinitive stem. There are several irregular –er/–ir past participles. Examples: comer (to eat) – comido (eaten) vivir (to live) – vivido (lived) escribir (to write) – escrito (written)

Irregular Past Participles --to past participles --ído past participles abrir = abierto caer = caído cubrir = cubierto (“covered”) creer = creído (descubrir = descubierto) leer = leído escribir = escrito oír = oído (describir = descrito) poseer = poseído (“possessed”) morir = muerto reír = reído poner = puesto sonreír = sonreído romper = roto traer = traído ver = visto (atraer = atraído [“attracted”]) volver = vuelto (resolver = resuelto [“re/solved”]) Verbs with regular and irregular past participles elegir = elegido/electo --cho past participles freír = freído/frito decir = dicho imprimir = imprimido/impreso (“printed”) hacer = hecho prender = prendido/preso (“turned on”) satisfacer = satisfecho (“satisfied”) proveer = proveído/provisto (“provided”) bendecir = bendecido/bendito (“blessed”) --do past participles maldecir = maldecido/maldicho (“damned”) pudrir = podrido (“rotted”)

The 6 Perfect Tenses In Spanish, there are six commonly used perfect tenses. English only has four-five. 1. Present Perfect* Indicative [presente perfecto del indicativo] 2. Pluperfect (Past Perfect) Indicative [pluscuamperfecto (pasado perfecto) del indicativo] 3. Future Perfect [futuro perfecto] 4. Conditional Perfect [condicional perfecto] 5. Present Perfect* Subjunctive [presente perfecto del subjuntivo] 6. Pluperfect (Past Perfect) Subjunctive [pluscuamperfecto (pasado perfecto) del subjuntivo] (*In Spanish, you will also hear the name “pretérito perfecto” to describe these tenses.)

HOW DO YOU DIFFERENTIATE THE 6 TENSES? Since the main verb, which is in the past participle form, NEVER (EVER!) changes (just like in English!)… It is the tense and mood of the auxiliary verb haber that determines which perfect tense is being used.

HABER (The Auxiliary Verb) The first word—“present”, “plu-”/“past”, “future”, “conditional”—in each name of the tenses refers to the tense of the verb haber. The third word—“indicative” or “subjunctive”—in four of the tenses refers to the mood of the verb haber. The verb haber (“to have”) is an auxiliary verb; the verb tener (“to have”) is used to express possession.

Haber – “Present” Indicative & “Present” Subjunctive Tenses Presente del Indicativo Presente del Subjuntivo He Hemos Haya Hayamos Has Habéis Hayas Hayáis Ha Han Haya Hayan

Present Perfect Indicative & Present Perfect Subjunctive The present perfect tense is used to express an action or event in the past without reference to a specific time or duration. Often it is used to describe a recent or continuing event in the past. It is formed with present tense of haber together with the past participle. Examples: She has gone to the store. Ella ha ido a la tienda. I suggest that you have it finished by Monday. Sugiero que lo hayas terminado para el lunes.

Haber – “Plu-”/“Past” (Imperfect) Indicative & “Plu-”/“Past” (Imperfect) Subjunctive Tenses Imperfecto del Indicativo Imperfecto del Subjunctivo Había Habíamos Hubiera Hubiéramos Habías Habíais Hubieras Hubiérais Había Habían Hubiera Hubieran

Pluperfect (Past Perfect) Indicative & Pluperfect (Past Perfect) Subjunctive The pluperfect tense is used to express a past action or event that is completed before another past action or event. It is formed with haber in the imperfect tense together with the past participle. Examples: They had arrived many hours before sunrise. Habían llegado muchas horas antes de amanecer. I suggested that you have everything finished soon. Sugerí que Uds. hubieran terminado todo pronto.

Haber – “Future” (Indicative) Tense Futuro (del Indicativo) Habré Habremos Habrás Habréis Habrá Habrán

Future Perfect The future perfect tense is used to express a future action or event that will have been completed before another future action. It is formed with haber conjugated in the future tense together with the past participle. Example: After this child, the woman will have given birth six times. Después de este niño, la mujer habrá parido seis veces.

Haber – “Conditional” (Indicative) Tense Condicional (del Indicativo) Habría Habríamos Habrías Habríais Habría Habrían

Conditional Perfect The conditional perfect tense is used to express a contrary-to-fact action or event in the past – one that would have occurred if something else had not happened. It is formed with haber conjugated in the conditional tense together with the past participle. Example: The boys would have stopped if they had known it was wrong. Los chicos se habrían detenido si hubieran sabido que no es correcto.

Future Perfect and Conditional Perfect The future and conditional tenses can be used to express probability in the present and past, respectively. Examples: Where is María? She must be (probably is) at work. ¿Dónde está María? Ella estará en el trabajo. Where was María when you arrived? She must have been (was probably) at work. ¿Dónde estaba María cuand llegaste? Ella estaría en el trabajo. Similarly, the future perfect and conditional perfect tenses can also be used to express probability in the present and past, respectively. Examples: How many children has she had? She must have (probably has) had six by now. ¿Cuántos hijos tiene ella? Ella habrá tenido seis para ahora. How many children had she had? She must have (probably has) had six. ¿Cuántos hijos tuvo ella? Ella habría tenido seis.