CEFR A2
What you will learn
- Build all six persons of haber plus a regular or frequent irregular participle.
- Contrast open present-linked frames with closed past frames.
- Recognise the main Spain/Latin America variation without treating either system as defective.
Before you start
- Have studied “The preterite: place a finished event on the timeline”.
The idea
The present perfect combines present “haber” with a past participle: “he hablado”, “hemos comido”. It often places a finished event inside a period that the speaker treats as still open or relevant now. This connection is grammatical and regional, not a universal clock rule. Speakers choose the perfect and the preterite differently across the Spanish-speaking world.
Nothing separates “haber” from its participle in the basic construction. Object pronouns stand before the auxiliary: “Lo he visto”, not “He lo visto”.
After “haber”, the participle does not agree with the object: “He escrito una carta” and “He escrito dos cartas”. Agreement belongs to adjectival uses such as “Las cartas están escritas”.
Complete present-perfect paradigm
| person | haber | hablar | comer | vivir |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| yo | he | he hablado | he comido | he vivido |
| tú | has | has hablado | has comido | has vivido |
| él / ella / usted | ha | ha hablado | ha comido | ha vivido |
| nosotros / nosotras | hemos | hemos hablado | hemos comido | hemos vivido |
| vosotros / vosotras | habéis | habéis hablado | habéis comido | habéis vivido |
| ellos / ellas / ustedes | han | han hablado | han comido | han vivido |
Frequent irregular participles
| infinitive | participle | transferable family |
|---|---|---|
| abrir | abierto | cubrir → cubierto |
| decir | dicho | predecir → predicho |
| escribir | escrito | describir → descrito |
| hacer | hecho | deshacer → deshecho |
| poner | puesto | componer → compuesto |
| ver | visto | prever → previsto |
| volver | vuelto | devolver → devuelto |
| romper | roto | — |
| morir | muerto | — |
How it sounds
- The sentence reports finished visits inside a period that remains open.“Este mes” includes the present moment. The stated convention treats that open period with the present perfect. Third-person “ha” combines with regular “visitado”.
Check objective 1Another case
A proposed answer is “he abrido” for this case: “Use the opened parcel and the Spain convention for an open morning: Esta mañana yo he abrido el paquete. (abrir)”. Choose the only valid form.
A proposed answer is “ha abierto” for this case: “Use the opened parcel and the Spain convention for an open morning: Esta mañana yo ha abierto el paquete. (abrir)”. Choose the only valid form.
Answer available without interaction
Answer: he abierto — In the stated Spain convention, the current morning is open. First-person “he” combines with the irregular participle “abierto”.
In the stated Spain convention, the current morning is open. First-person “he” combines with the irregular participle “abierto”.
Answer: he abierto — In the stated Spain convention, the current morning is open. First-person “he” combines with the irregular participle “abierto”.
In the stated Spain convention, the current morning is open. First-person “he” combines with the irregular participle “abierto”.
Check objective 2Another case
Use the time-frame convention stated for Spain and report the completed event: Ayer Laura ___ el informe. (terminar)
Use the time-frame convention stated for Spain and report the completed event: Ayer Laura ___ el informe. (terminar)
Answer available without interaction
Answer: terminó — Ayer is a closed past frame, so the completed event uses the preterite “terminó”, not the present perfect.
“Ayer” is a closed past frame, so the completed event uses the preterite “terminó”, not the present perfect.
Answer: terminó — Ayer is a closed past frame, so the completed event uses the preterite “terminó”, not the present perfect.
“Ayer” is a closed past frame, so the completed event uses the preterite “terminó”, not the present perfect.
Check objective 3Another case
Which statement respects the variation described in this lesson?
A speaker uses a simple past where another variety favours a present perfect. How should this be interpreted?
Answer available without interaction
Answer: Both conventions can be valid in their speech communities. — The contrast is a usage variation; neither system should be treated as defective.
The contrast is a usage variation; neither system should be treated as defective.
Answer: As a possible regional convention — The choice can reflect a regional convention and must be read in its variety and time frame.
The choice can reflect a regional convention and must be read in its variety and time frame.
What your own language pushes you to say
Wrong He terminado el informe ayer.
Right Terminé el informe ayer.
“Ayer” is a closed frame. Standard Spanish uses the preterite with that explicit finished date.
Challenge: apply every rule
Solve every case and justify each choice: 1) A proposed answer is “hemos leído” for this case: “Use the opened parcel and the Spain convention for an open morning: Esta mañana yo hemos leído el paquete. (abrir)”. Choose the only valid form. 2) A proposed answer is “ha terminado” for this case: “Use the completed report and the separate yesterday page: Ayer Laura ha terminado el informe. (terminar)”. Choose the only valid form. 3) Which statement respects the variation described in this lesson?
Answer available without interaction
- Build all six persons of haber plus a regular or frequent irregular participle.
- Contrast open present-linked frames with closed past frames.
- Recognise the main Spain/Latin America variation without treating either system as defective.
Answer: he abierto · terminó · Both conventions can be valid in their speech communities.
In the stated Spain convention, the current morning is open. First-person “he” combines with the irregular participle “abierto”. “Ayer” is a closed past frame, so the completed event uses the preterite “terminó”, not the present perfect. The contrast is a usage variation; neither system should be treated as defective.
Curriculum alignment and sources
- A2 exchange about experiences and recent events supports the communicative use; the tense map is editorial. · CEFR descriptors search
- A2 lists present haber, regular and strong irregular participles, current relevance and markers such as hoy, este año, ya and todavía no. · ic-pcic-grammar-a1-a2
Continue along this corridor
Practise this: “He comido” or “comí”: today's pastThe preterite: place a finished event on the timelineThe imperfect: build the background of a past sceneObject pronouns: track the thing and the recipient