The present perfect tense in Spanish is a super simple one for English learners, the reason is - we use it every fricken day! For example, the sentence “I have learned a lot” is a perfect representation of this tense in action.
In ugly-sounding linguistic words, it's the auxiliary verb Haber + a verb in the Past Participle. But screw that, if you’re like me, you just want to learn the conjugation.
So with that said, let’s just jump into this short lesson. I’ll provide you with simple explanations, 10 common verbs conjugated for the present perfect, and 10 example sentences.
¿Estás listo/a? (Are you ready?)
¡Vamos entonces! (Let’s go then!)
What Is The Present Perfect Tense?
The present perfect tense is described as being a way of talking about an action that has been completed but remains relevant in the present.
Think of the sentence “Have you already eaten?”
In this sentence, the question being asked is asked in the past tense [Have you already eaten] although it's currently of importance.
Some other examples of this are:
I have finished my homework
She has visited Paris
Have you ever traveled to Europe?
She has just received a promotion
How To Use The Present Perfect Tense In Spanish?
The best part about this tense is that we use it all of the time in English, so it’s easy to understand. To create the present perfect tense, we use the verb Haber (To have) and pair it with the past participle of a word such as Aprendido (Learned).
Haber + Past participle
Haber + aprendido = To have learned
Haber (Auxiliary Verb)
Subject | Haber Conjugation |
Yo (I) | He |
Tú (You) | Has |
Él/Ella/Usted (He/She/You-Formal) | Ha |
Ellos/as/Ustedes (Them/You-Formal) | Han |
Nosotros/as (We) | Hemos |
Vosotros (You-Plural | Spain) | Habéis |
Past Participle
Most commonly, the past participle follows a super simple rule. Although, sometimes this rule is broken such as in the word Escribir, which becomes Escrito.
AR Verbs (ADO)
Verb | Past Participle |
Estar | Estado |
Hablar | Hablado |
Probar | Probado |
Encontrar | Encontrado |
Sacar | Sacado |
IR/ER Verbs (IDO)
Verb | Past Participle |
Aprender | Aprendido |
Servir | Servido |
Comer | Comido |
Correr | Corrido |
Imprimir | Imprimido |
10 Common Verbs In The Present Perfect Tense
Now we'll go over the 10 most common verbs in the present perfect tense. Take a look at the patterns that repeat. This conjugation may seem a little overwhelming at first (it is grammar, right?). However, with a little bit of exposure you'll master it easily. I believe in you.
Hablar (To talk)
Subject | Conjugated Verb |
Yo (I) | He hablado |
Tú (You) | Has hablado |
Él/Ella/Usted (He/She/You-Formal) | Ha hablado |
Ellos/as/Ustedes (Them/You-Formal) | Han hablado |
Nosotros/as (We) | Hemos hablado |
Vosotros/as (You-Plural) | Habéis hablado |
Escribir (To write)
Subject | Conjugated Verb |
Yo (I) | He escrito |
Tú (You) | Has escrito |
Él/Ella/Usted (He/She/You-Formal) | Ha escrito |
Ellos/as/Ustedes (Them/You-Formal) | Han escrito |
Nosotros/as (We) | Hemos escrito |
Vosotros/as (You-Plural) | Habéis escrito |
Entender (To understand)
Subject | Conjugated Verb |
Yo (I) | He entendido |
Tú (You) | Has entendido |
Él/Ella/Usted (He/She/You-Formal) | Ha entendido |
Ellos/as/Ustedes (Them/You-Formal) | Han entendido |
Nosotros/as (We) | Hemos entendido |
Vosotros/as (You-Plural) | Habéis entendido |
Decir (To say)
Subject | Conjugated Verb |
Yo (I) | He dicho |
Tú (You) | Has dicho |
Él/Ella/Usted (He/She/You-Formal) | Ha dicho |
Ellos/as/Ustedes (Them/You-Formal) | Han dicho |
Nosotros/as (We) | Hemos dicho |
Vosotros/as (You-Plural) | Habéis dicho |
Aprender (To learn)
Subject | Conjugated Verb |
Yo (I) | He aprendido |
Tú (You) | Has aprendido |
Él/Ella/Usted (He/She/You-Formal) | Ha aprendido |
Ellos/as/Ustedes (Them/You-Formal) | Han aprendido |
Nosotros/as (We) | Hemos aprendido |
Vosotros/as (You-Plural) | Habéis aprendido |
Comer (To eat)
Subject | Conjugated Verb |
Yo (I) | He comido |
Tú (You) | Has comido |
Él/Ella/Usted (He/She/You-Formal) | Ha comido |
Ellos/as/Ustedes (Them/You-Formal) | Han comido |
Nosotros/as (We) | Hemos comido |
Vosotros/as (You-Plural) | Habéis comido |
Encontrar (To find)
Subject | Conjugated Verb |
Yo (I) | He encontrado |
Tú (You) | Has encontrado |
Él/Ella/Usted (He/She/You-Formal) | Ha encontrado |
Ellos/as/Ustedes (Them/You-Formal) | Han encontrado |
Nosotros/as (We) | Hemos encontrado |
Vosotros/as (You-Plural) | Habéis encontrado |
Ver (To see)
Subject | Conjugated Verb |
Yo (I) | He visto |
Tú (You) | Has visto |
Él/Ella/Usted (He/She/You-Formal) | Ha visto |
Ellos/as/Ustedes (Them/You-Formal) | Han visto |
Nosotros/as (We) | Hemos visto |
Vosotros/as (You-Plural) | Habéis visto |
Intentar (To try)
Subject | Conjugated Verb |
Yo (I) | He intentado |
Tú (You) | Has intentado |
Él/Ella/Usted (He/She/You-Formal) | Ha intentado |
Ellos/as/Ustedes (Them/You-Formal) | Han intentado |
Nosotros/as (We) | Hemos intentado |
Vosotros/as (You-Plural) | Habéis intentado |
Leer (To read)
Subject | Conjugated Verb |
Yo (I) | He leído |
Tú (You) | Has leído |
Él/Ella/Usted (He/She/You-Formal) | Ha leído |
Ellos/as/Ustedes (Them/You-Formal) | Han leído |
Nosotros/as (We) | Hemos leído |
Vosotros/as (You-Plural) | Habéis leído |
Examples: Using The Present Perfect In Spanish
Here are some example sentences using the present perfect tense in Spanish. If you really want to acquire this conjugation as soon as possible, I recommend that you write these down and review them a few times. Good luck, friend, you got this!
Spanish Sentence | English Translation |
¿Has hablado con tu hermana? | Have you spoken with your sister? |
Ella ha escrito la carta | She has written the letter |
Hemos entendido el mensaje | We have understood the message |
Ya lo he dicho varias veces | I have already said it many times |
Ellos han aprendido mucho | They have learned a lot |
Hemos comido sushi antes | We have eaten sushi before |
Tú has encontrar el secreto | You have found the secret |
He visto la foto antes | I have seen the photo before |
Hemos intentado mejorar | We have tried to improve |
Ella ha leído ese libro | She has read that book |