In this article, we will discuss the present perfect tense in Spanish. As in the English language, in the present perfect Spanish verb tense is a compound tense. In fact, the present perfect tense is one of several compound tenses of the English and Spanish languages. You will find that depending on the Spanish speaking country or region, the present perfect tense may or may not be frequently used.
Many Spanish speakers will use the preterit tense instead of the present perfect tense. This also occurs in the English language. For example, one person may prefer to say "I didn't eat today." On the hand, another native English speaker in the same situation may prefer to say "I haven't eaten today." Experts of English grammar may tell you that the two phrases have two completely different meanings.
For instance, the "experts" may say that one should only say that "I didn't eat today" when the act of "not eating today" is no longer continuing in the present. For example, the act of "not eating today" is not continuing into the present because right now you are eating a big bowl of spaghetti. The same "experts" may say that one should use the phrase "I haven't eaten today" when the act of "not eating today" is continuing in the present. For example, "it is now 1:00 PM and I still haven't had anything at all to eat today."
Some native English speakers will make this distinction when engaged in normal or everyday conversational English. However, others will not make this distinction. By the same token, some native Spanish speakers will make the distinction and use one tense instead of the other and others will not.
Much of this confusion is caused by one of the main definitions or explanations of when to use this tense. The present perfect tense is used to communicate an event that is initiated in the past but is continuing in the present.
As in English, when speaking Spanish, if you decide to use this tense more often than the preterit tense, it is often a matter of personal choice. However, there are clearly instances in both English and Spanish where only one tense will suffice. In such instances, if the speaker selects the wrong tense not only will his speech not make sense, but he also runs the risk of not being understood.
Many Spanish speakers will use the preterit tense instead of the present perfect tense. This also occurs in the English language. For example, one person may prefer to say "I didn't eat today." On the hand, another native English speaker in the same situation may prefer to say "I haven't eaten today." Experts of English grammar may tell you that the two phrases have two completely different meanings.
For instance, the "experts" may say that one should only say that "I didn't eat today" when the act of "not eating today" is no longer continuing in the present. For example, the act of "not eating today" is not continuing into the present because right now you are eating a big bowl of spaghetti. The same "experts" may say that one should use the phrase "I haven't eaten today" when the act of "not eating today" is continuing in the present. For example, "it is now 1:00 PM and I still haven't had anything at all to eat today."
Some native English speakers will make this distinction when engaged in normal or everyday conversational English. However, others will not make this distinction. By the same token, some native Spanish speakers will make the distinction and use one tense instead of the other and others will not.
Much of this confusion is caused by one of the main definitions or explanations of when to use this tense. The present perfect tense is used to communicate an event that is initiated in the past but is continuing in the present.
As in English, when speaking Spanish, if you decide to use this tense more often than the preterit tense, it is often a matter of personal choice. However, there are clearly instances in both English and Spanish where only one tense will suffice. In such instances, if the speaker selects the wrong tense not only will his speech not make sense, but he also runs the risk of not being understood.
Patrick Jackson is the founder of Learning Spanish Like Crazy. If you would like to learn more about the Spanish Present Perfect Verb tense, then sign up for our FREE online interactive weekly Spanish Verb Conjugation classes or get a FREE interactive demo copy of the Verbarrator. The Spanish verb conjugator that is so fun and easy that it is addictive, go here now: http://verbarrator.com/.
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