Coffee Break Spanish

CBS 2.25 | When to use the perfect tense and irregular verbs

Nov 1, 2010
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INSIGHT

Perfect Tense Formation

  • The perfect tense in Spanish is formed with the verb haber and the past participle of the main verb.
  • AR verbs get an -ado ending, ER and IR verbs get an -ido ending for past participles.
ADVICE

Use Perfect Tense for Recent Past

  • Use the perfect tense with time phrases linking past actions to the present, like "esta mañana" or "ayer."
  • Prefer perfect tense over preterite for immediate past events to be ultra-correct.
ADVICE

Use "Ya" to Say "Already"

  • Use the word "ya" with the perfect tense to indicate someone has "already" done something.
  • For example, ask "¿Ya has comido?" to say "Have you already eaten?"
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