When do you use the Present Perfect?

Question

Are there specific rules for when to use the Preterit vs. the Present Perfect or do I simply translate from English?

For example, can I simply choose between these two sentences and whichever I'd use in English, I'll use in Spanish?

Comí pizza tres veces esta semana. I ate pizza three times this week.

He comido tres veces esta semana. I've eaten pizza three times this week.

Answer 1

He comido tres veces esta semana. I've eaten pizza three times this week.

This is the past perfect and not the present perfect.

I may be wrong, but in the context you provided, either of your translations seem to be correct.

That is, I believe that you could say either:

Comí pizza tres veces esta semana. I ate pizza three times this week.

or

He comido (pizza) tres veces esta semana. I've eaten pizza three times this week.

and either would be correct. Which you choose would depend on what emphasis you want to give to your statment.

It's present perfect. The past perfect would be "I had eaten ..." - samdie, Jun 16, 2010

That's what I thought - Chavag, Jun 16, 2010