How to reply to the question "what have you done today?"
Hi if you are asked "qué cosas has hecho hoy"? do you always have to reply using the pretérito perfecto" if you want to say what you did "esta manana", "esta tarde" or "esta noche" for instance "he hecho los deberes manana". Or can you possible say "hice los deberes esta manana"?. My understanding from class is that you would always use the "preterito perfecto" is faced with such a question. If anyone could help clear this up for me that would be great. Thanks!
5 Answers
Well, the answer I usually gave my Momma when she asked me that was along the lines of "Nada.." (Nuthin'). Used to get her pretty mad, but it was a pretty economic answer... 
To be somewhat less facetious, though, regular preterit works just fine.
(Fui al mercado, hice mis deberes, lavé la ropa, cociné un soufflé de trufas con gruyere y raspaduras de chocolate negro, dormí ...)
I like the common sense of the reply Lazarus gave: if I'm in doubt I take my cue from the way the question was asked and use the same verb tense as the question.
do you always have to reply using the pretérito perfecto" if you want to say what you did "esta manana", "esta tarde" or "esta noche" for instance "he hecho los deberes manana"?
No, you don't, but you answer the question exactly as asked. If the tribunal is a very strict and one-sided person, use the present perfect; otherwise, use common sense.
Yes that is how we are taught and to take it a stage further as example you could say: ¿Has hecho ya los deberes? Have you done your homework yet? to which you could reply sí, ya he hecho los. yes you have done them or: Todavia no he hecho los. I have not done them yet.
Que cosas has hecho hoy?
-He hecho la tarea (assignment or homework) esta mañana. Hice un poco de ejercicio en la tarde.
Both will be fine.
