What's the rule for choosing between preterite and present perfect?

Question

I'm native in neither English nor Spanish (I'm Dutch) and this topic is difficult for me in both languages. Could anyone tell me the decisive element and whether this is the same in both Spanish and English?

Like in this example, is it:

Yesterday I ate 5 taters/Ayer comí 5 papas

I moved the box/mudé la caja

or

I have eaten 5 taters yesterday/Ayer he comido 5 papas

I have moved the box/He mudado la caja

and why?

wow, nice question. - dewclaw, Jul 21, 2011

Answer 1

Choosing which to use involves thinking a little about what type of "past" the action occurred in.

The preterite is used to describe an action that was completed in a time period that is over. For example:

Desayuné ayer.

I ate breakfast yesterday.

"Yesterday" has finished -- the speaker is no longer in "yesterday" -- so the preterite is used.

The present perfect is used to describe an action that was completed in the past, but in a time period that has not yet finished. In other words, the action is in the past, but the time period in which it occurred is still in the present. For example:

He desayunado hoy.

I have eaten breakfast today.

The speaker is still in "today" -- it has not finished -- so the present perfect is used.

Another example:

Visité el banco esta mañana.

I visited the bank this morning. (speaking in the afternoon or evening)

He visitado el banco esta mañana.

I have visited the bank this morning. (speaking during the morning)

There is one other situation where the present perfect is used. This is when the past action occurred at some unspecified point (possibly more than once) in the past. For example:

Viajé a Perú el año pasado.

I travelled to Peru last year.

He viajado a Perú.

I have travelled to Peru. (not specifying when, or how many times)

excellent answer! - billygoat, Jul 21, 2011

Duh, right out of the grammar books ... now why didn't I think of that? ;-) Thanks so much!! - territurtle, Jul 21, 2011

Answer 2

Present Perfect: The action started in the past, but continues into the present.

Example: I have studied English for many years (understood that you are still studying it now or something has happened now) I have studied English for many years, but it still is hard to understand.

Preterite (or simple past in English): Something happened at a time in the past.

Example: My car stopped (simple past) running 2 days ago.

As for talking about the past (yesterday specified): You can use the PAST Perfect but it always implies that something else followed: Yesterday I had eaten 5 taters (when I was interrupted by a phone call).

The sense behind "Perfect" tenses is that the verb needs "completion" with a supporting clause.

I hope this helps. If you want to discuss this further, I'll watch the forum.

My grandparents came (simple past) from Belgium and were (simple past) Dutch speaking (not a verb here).

And The Jubilado (taking the Caribbean interpretation, of course) has spoken! ;-) - territurtle, Jul 21, 2011

Thanks, Territurtle! I just think it beats "retired" ever since I learned it! - Jubilado, Jul 21, 2011

Answer 3

You do not use the present perfect in English with a reference to a speific time in the past.

Not "I have eaten potatoes yesterday" - but must use the simple past "I ate potatoes yesterday"

I have been told that it can be done Spanish "He comido papas ayer" - but even that sounds odd to me.

Answer 4

delete-already, answered several times over.

"I have eaten more than my share of taters yesterday." sounds perfectly alright.

The present perfect in English

USE 1 Unspecified Time Before Now

We use the Present Perfect to say that an action happened at an unspecified time before now. The exact time is not important. You CANNOT use the Present Perfect with specific time expressions such as: yesterday, one year ago, last week, when I was a child, when I lived in Japan, at that moment, that day, one day, etc. We CAN use the Present Perfect with unspecific expressions such as: ever, never, once, many times, several times, before, so far, already, yet, etc.

Whoa! That seems to have struck a chord with lots of members!

Duh, again I stand corrected!! Had I thought a little faster than my fingers on the keyboard I might not be red as a beet now! ;) - territurtle, Jul 21, 2011

terri, this is learning site, don't worry :-) - billygoat, Jul 21, 2011

Answer 5

I am a native English speaker and "I have eaten 5 taters yesterday" does not sound natural. "Yesterday I ate 5 taters" sounds much, much better.

Here is a link that I think you may find helpful.

There are just times when the present perfect will not make sense.

Sounds better: I walked four miles yesterday.

Sounds strange: I have walked four miles yesterday.

My advice would be is to keep the preterite for the past. If you are saying something happened yesterday or two days ago, you would use the preterite.

I spoke to him two days ago. Le hablé hace dos días.

"I have spoken to him two days ago" sounds incorrect.

However, if you are saying something has happened SINCE yesterday, or two days, or last month, then the present perfect is perfectly acceptable.

I have driven the car twice since last month.

She has opened the window once since yesterday.

So, to sum it all up, the past is the past. It's over. You are not going to use the present perfect to describe something that happened in a completed time.

**You will not use the present perfect with a specific time frame!**

That was my feeling too. And 'whether it sounds natural' has been my leading indicator as well. Now that I'm learning a new language I prefer to go with a more reliable indicator than my hunch :) - S1r_Wakka, Jul 21, 2011

"I have eaten more than my share of taters yesterday." sounds perfectly alright. - territurtle, Jul 21, 2011

Hmmm...that sounds a little funny to me, terri. It's funny how even natives disagree sometimes!!! :) - SonrisaDelSol, Jul 21, 2011

Answer 6

Frankly, I think this is a "Lazarus question," and I haven't seen him on the forum lately.