Spanish Grammar: Los Tiempos Perfectos

Questions and Answers

How do you form the past participle of -ar verbs in the perfect tenses?

Remove ar and add ado

What are the two options for forming reflexive verbs in the perfect tenses?

Put the reflexive pronoun before the conjugated verb, or put the reflexive pronoun after the infinitive verb

What is the formula for forming the Futuro Perfecto (Future Perfect) in Spanish?

Haber in the future tense + Past Participle

How do you form the past participle of -er/-ir verbs in the perfect tenses?

Remove er/ir and add ido Signup and view all the answers

What is the Condicional Perfecto (Conditional Perfect) used to describe?

An action that would have been completed if a certain condition had been met Signup and view all the answers

What is the correct way to form the perfect tense in Spanish?

The perfect tense is formed using the auxiliary verb 'haber' in the present tense, followed by the past participle of the main verb. Signup and view all the answers

How do you form the negative of the perfect tense in Spanish?

You add 'no' in front of the 'haber' part. Signup and view all the answers

How do you form the negative of reflexive verbs in the perfect tense in Spanish?

You add 'no' in front of the reflexive pronoun. Signup and view all the answers

What is the correct way to translate 'I had already eaten when I arrived at the party' into Spanish?

Ya había comido cuando llegué a la fiesta. Signup and view all the answers

What is the correct way to translate 'I will have finished all of my exams' into Spanish?

Habré terminado todos mis exámenes. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Los Tiempos Perfectos (The Perfect Tenses)

'I have just' tense is formed using Acabar + de + Infinitive, e.g., Acabo de hablar (I have just spoken)
The 'I have just' tense is used to describe an action that has been completed in the immediate past

Los Tiempos Perfectos Formations

Pretérito Perfecto (Present Perfect): Haber + Past Participle, e.g., Yo he hablado (I have spoken)
Futuro Perfecto (Future Perfect): Haber + Past Participle, e.g., Yo habré hablado (I will have spoken)
Condicional Perfecto (Conditional Perfect): Haber + Past Participle, e.g., Yo habría hablado (I would have spoken)
Pluscuamperfecto (Past Perfect): Haber + Past Participle, e.g., Yo había hablado (I had spoken)

Irregular Verbs

Decir: dicho
Hacer: hecho
Poner: puesto
Ver: visto
Abrir: abierto
Volver: vuelto
Romper: roto
Escribir: escrito
Descubrir: descubierto
Cubrir: cubierto
Freír: frito
Morir: muerto
Resolver: resuelto

Examples

Le he escrito (I have written to him)
Hemos hecho muchos pasteles (we have made many cakes)
Habré terminado todos mis exámenes (I will have finished all of my exams)
Habría ido a la fiesta si no estuviera tan cansado (I would have gone to the party if I wasn't so tired)
Lo habrías comprado si tuvieras el dinero (you would have bought it if you had the money)
Ya había comido cuando llegué a la fiesta (I had already eaten when I arrived at the party)
Ya había abierto la ventana cuando mi madre me pidió que lo hiciera (I had already opened the window when my mother asked me to do it)

Negatives and Reflexives

To make the perfect tense negative, add "no" in front of the "haber" part, e.g., No he comprado nada (I haven't bought anything)
For reflexive verbs, add the reflexive pronoun in front of the "haber" part, e.g., Se ha despertado (He has woken up)
To make reflexive verbs in the perfect tense negative, add "no" in front of the reflexive pronoun, e.g., No se ha despertado (He has not woken up)