The perfect tenses are compound verbs made up of the auxiliary verb

to have + the past participle of the main verb (see What is a Par-

ticiple?, p. 66).

I have not seen him.

I I

auxiliary past participle

verb of to see

They had already gone.

I I

auxiliary past participle

verb of to go

The auxiliary verb to have can be put in different tenses. For example,

I have is the present tense and I have seen is the present perfect tense.

They had is the past tense and they had gone is the past perfect tense.

IN ENGLISH

There are four perfect tenses formed wit the auxiliary verb to have +

the past participle of the main verb. The name of each perfect tense is

based on the tense used for the auxiliary verb to have.

PRESENT PERFECT—to have in the present tense + the past participle of

the main verb (see What is the Present Tense?, p. 60).

I have eaten.

I I

auxiliary past participle

verb to eat

The boys have washed the car.

I I

auxiliary past participle

verb to wash

PAST PERFECT (PLUPERFECT)—tO have in the simple past + the past par-

ticiple of the main verb (see What is the Past Tense?, p. 62).

I had eaten before 6:00.

I I

auxiliary past participle

verb to eat

The boys had washed the car before the storm.

I I

auxiliary past participle

verb to wash

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FUTURE PERFECT—to have in the future tense + the past participle of the

main verb (see What is the Future Tense?, p. 86).

I will have eaten by 6:00.

WI.

auxiliary past participle

verbs to eat

The boys will have washed the car by Thursday.

auxi iary past participle

verbs to wash

CONDITIONAL PERFECT—to have in the conditional + the past participle of

the main verb (see What is the Conditional?, p.89).

I would have eaten if I had had the time.

auxiliary past participle

verbs to eat

The boys would have washed the car if they had been here.

auxi iary past participle

verbs to wash

IN SPANISH

The perfect tenses are made up of a form of the auxiliary verb haber

(to have) + the past participle of the main verb. In Spanish there are

several perfect tenses: four perfect tenses in the indicative and two in

the subjunctive (see What is the Subjunctive?, p. 75). As in English,

the name of the tense is based on the tense of the auxiliary verb haber.

We are listing the various perfect tenses here so that you can see the

pattern that they follow. You will see that an entire section is devoted

to the perfect tenses, since they do not function in the same way in

Spanish and English.

Perfect Tenses in the Indicative Mood

PRESENT PERFECT (“PERFEcT0”)—haber in the present tense + the past

participle of the main verb. Generally the Spanish present perfect is

used in the same way as the present perfect in English.

He comido.

I have eaten.

Los chicos han Iavado el coche.

The boys have washed the car

PLUPERFECT OR PAST PERFECT (tLuScuAMPERFEcT0”)—haber in the imper-

feet + the past participle of the main verb. The pluperfect tense is used

to express an action completed in the past before some other past

action or event. Generally, the Spanish past perfect is used the same

way as the past perfect in English.

Habia comido antes de las seis.

I had eaten before 6:00.

Los chicos habian lavado el coche antes de la tempestad.

The boys had washed the car before the storm.

FUTURE PERFECT (“FuTuRo PERFEcTO”)—haber in the future + the past par-

ticiple of the main verb. Generally, the Spanish future perfect is used

in the same way as the future perfect in English.

Habré comido para las seis.

I will have eaten by 6:00.

Los chicos habrán lavado el coche para el jueves.

The boys will have washed the car by Thursday.

CONDITIONAL PERFECT (“c0NDIcI0NAL PERFEcTO”)—haber in the conditional

+ the past participle of the main verb.

Habria comido si hubiera tenido el tiempo.

I would have eaten if I had had the time.

Los chicos habrfan lavado el coche si hubieran estado aqui.

The boys would have washed the car if they had been here.

Perfect Tenses in the Subjunctive Mood

(See What is the Subjunctive?, p. 75)

PRESENT PERFECT SUBJUNCTIVE (tERFEcT0 DEL suBJuNTIvO”)—haber in the

present subjunctive + the past participle of the main verb. This tense is

really just a present perfect used when a subjunctive is required.

He knows that they have arrived.

present perfect indicative —* ban llegado

He hopes that they have arrived.

present perfect subjunctive —* hayan llegado

A subjunctive is needed because hopes (the verb in the main clause)

requires a subjunctive in the dependent clause.

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PLUPERFECT SUBJUNCTIVE (“PLUSCUAMPERFECTO DEL 8uBJuNTIv0”)—haber in

the imperfect subjunctive + the past participle of the main verb.

He knew that they had arrived.

pluperfect tense indicative —* habian llegado

He hoped that they had arrived.

pluperfect subjunctive —+ hubieran llegado

A subjunctive is needed because hoped (the verb in the main clause)

requires a subjunctive in the dependent clause.