We also use the verb "tener" to express the idea of obligation. We can say that someone "has to do" something. In this case we use a form of "tener" with the infinitive (R form) of another verb, but we also put "que" after "have". Normally we think of "que" as being translated to "that" in English, but in this pattern there really isn't any English equivalent. We just use the "que" to indicate that "have" means obligation, not possession. Look at the following examples.

I have the money.
Yo tengo el dinero.

I have to buy the tickets.
Yo tengo que comprar los boletos.

In the first case we use "have" to express possession. I "possess" the money. In the second case we express the obligation to do something ("to buy tickets").

Now we have a third meaning of "have". In this case we use "have" to express the concept of an action that has been completed some time before now in the past. We aren't pin pointing a moment in the past when we did the action, like we do with the preterite past form. We aren't saying we did something at a particular point in time, just that we have done it (some time before now). In this case, we don't use forms of the verb "tener". We use a completely different verb for "have" when we say that someone "has done" something. In this case in Spanish we use forms of the verb "haber". These forms are irregular (unpredictable, not following the normal pattern) and we just have to memorize them. Here are the present forms of the verb "haber".

I have     - he
you have   - has
he/she has - ha
we have    - hemos
they have  - han 

To say that someone "has done" something we use a combination of a form of "haber" together with the participle of another verb. If you think back to your English class, you may remember that the teacher had you learn three forms of each verb. These are called the "principle parts" of a verb. For example, "sing, sang, sung", or "break, broke, broken", etc. The third form of the verb is the participle. It is the form which we use with "have" in English.

I broke the window.
I have broken the window.

In Spanish, the participle normally ends in the letters "-do". For "A" category verbs, the normal pattern is "-ado" on the end of the verb. For "E" and "I" verbs, we normally find "-ido" on the end of the verb. Here are some examples of participles of verbs that we have used.

Infinitive    Participle

hablar        hablado
comprar       comprado
estudiar      estudiado
comer         comido
aprender      aprendido
vender        vendido 

Remember that we are going to use a combination of forms of "have" ("haber") and the participle. In other words, this pattern is going to be a verb phrase, not a single word verb form.

Let's take a look at the chart of the "perfect" verb phrase patterns.

I have spoken
yo he hablado

you have spoken
tú has hablado

he/she has spoken
él/ella ha hablado

we have spoken
nosotros hemos hablado

they have spoken
ellos/ellas han hablado

Notice that the participle doesn't change, only the forms of the verb "have". Remember that when we practiced making sentences with "tengo que" plus the infinitive ("R" form), the infinitive never changed, only the form of "have". This works the same way.

Let's practice building some sentences.

I have spoken with the teacher.
Yo he hablado con el profesor.

Have you spoken with the teacher?
¿Has hablado con el profesor?

John has spoken with the teacher.
Juan ha hablado con el profesor.

We have spoken with the teacher.
Nosotros hemos hablado con el profesor.

The boys have spoken with the teacher.
Los muchachos han hablado con el profesor.

I have studied the lesson (la lección).
Yo he estudiado la lección.

Have you studied the lesson?
¿Has estudiado la lección?

Mary has studied the lesson.
María ha estudiado la lección.

We have studied the lesson.
Nosotros hemos estudiado la lección.

The girls have studied the lesson.
Las muchachas han estudiado la lección.

I have bought the tickets (los boletos).
Yo he comprado los boletos.

Have you bought the tickets?
¿ Has comprado los boletos?

John has bought the tickets.
Juan ha comprado los boletos.

We have bought the tickets.
Nosotros hemos comprado los boletos.

The boys have bought the tickets.
Los muchachos han comprado los boletos.

I have eaten in this restaurant (en este restaurante).
Yo he comido en este restaurante.

Have you eaten in this restaurant?
¿Has comido en este restaurante?

Mary has eaten in this restaurant.
María ha comido en este restaurante.

We have eaten in this restaurant.
Nosotros hemos comido en este restaurante.

The girls have eaten in this restaurant.
Las muchachas han comido en este restaurante.

I have learned the words (las palabras).
Yo he aprendido las palabras.

Have you learned the words?
¿Has aprendido las palabras?

John has learned the words.
Juan ha aprendido las palabras.

We have learned the words.
Nosotros hemos aprendido las palabras.

The boys have learned the words.
Los muchachos han aprendido las palabras.

I have sold the house.
Yo he vendido la casa.

Have you sold the house?
¿Has vendido la casa?

The owner (el dueño) has sold the house.
El dueño ha vendido la casa.

We have sold the house.
Nosotros hemos vendido la casa.

The owners have sold the house.
Los dueños han vendido la casa.

Use of Present Perfect

Use of Past Perfect

Fill-in-the-Blank Quizzes

Present and Past Perfect

Perfect Tenses

Translation Exercises

Exercises