—Es algo que siempre he deseado. © 2015 by Vista Higher Learning, Inc. All rights reserved.

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. La gerente ha cambiado mi horario de trabajo dos veces este mes. The manager has changed my work schedule twice this month. Josefina se jubiló el año pasado, pero aún no ha decidido qué va a hacer. Josefina retired last year, but she still hasn’t decided what she is going to do. © 2015 by Vista Higher Learning, Inc. All rights reserved.

Form the present perfect 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. © 2015 by Vista Higher Learning, Inc. All rights reserved.

Note that past participles do not change form in the present perfect tense. No he recibido la tarjeta de débito. Mis hijos no han recibido las suyas tampoco. I haven’t received the debit card. My children haven’t received theirs, either. No se la hemos mandado porque el contador no ha mandado el correo todavía. We haven’t sent it to you because the accountant hasn’t sent the mail yet. © 2015 by Vista Higher Learning, Inc. All rights reserved.

To express that something has just happened, use acabar de + [infinitive], not the present perfect. Le acabamos de ofrecer el puesto. We have just offered him/her the position. © 2015 by Vista Higher Learning, Inc. All rights reserved.

ca-er ➙ caído le-er ➙ leído o-ír ➙ oído constru-ir ➙ construido 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 ➙ caído le-er ➙ leído o-ír ➙ oído constru-ir ➙ construido —Ha traído el periódico. © 2015 by Vista Higher Learning, Inc. All rights reserved.

Several verbs have irregular past participles. abrir abierto cubrir cubierto decir dicho descubrir descubierto escribir escrito hacer hecho morir muerto poner puesto resolver resuelto romper roto ver visto volver vuelto He escrito varias veces al gerente. ¿Por qué no me ha abierto la cuenta? I have written the manager several times. Why hasn’t he opened the account for me? Hablé con el gerente y ya hemos resuelto el problema. I spoke with the manager, and we have already resolved the problem. © 2015 by Vista Higher Learning, Inc. All rights reserved.

In the present perfect, pronouns and the word no precede the verb haber. ¿Por qué no has depositado más dinero en tu cuenta de ahorros? Why haven’t you deposited more money in your savings account? Porque ya lo he invertido en la bolsa de valores. Because I have already invested it in the stock market. —No, no he querido decir eso. © 2015 by Vista Higher Learning, Inc. All rights reserved.