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"Pretérito perfecto" is a noun which is often translated as "present perfect", and "pretérito" is a noun which is often translated as "preterite". Learn more about the difference between "pretérito perfecto" and "pretérito" below.
el pretérito perfecto(
preh
-
teh
-
ree
-
toh
 
pehr
-
fehk
-
toh
)
A masculine noun is used with masculine articles and adjectives (e.g., el hombre guapo, el sol amarillo).
masculine noun
a. present perfect
El pretérito perfecto se forma con el presente del verbo "haber" y el participio del verbo conjugado; por ejemplo, "he oído" ("I've heard").The present perfect is formed with the present of the verb "haber" and the past participle of the conjugated verb, for instance "he oído" ("I've heard").
b. simple past
El pretérito perfecto simple indica que la acción expresada por el verbo acabó en un momento del pasado.The simple past indicates that the action expressed by the verb finished at a point in the past.
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el pretérito(
preh
-
teh
-
ree
-
toh
)
A masculine noun is used with masculine articles and adjectives (e.g., el hombre guapo, el sol amarillo).
masculine noun
a. preterite
"Yo bailo" está en presente; "yo bailé" está en pretérito."I dance" is in the present; "I danced" is in the preterite.
b. past
En un ejercicio del examen de español, teníamos que poner los verbos en pretérito.We had to put the verbs in the past in an exercise on the Spanish exam.
An adjective is a word that describes a noun (e.g., the big dog).
adjective
a. past
La gente siempre recuerda las épocas pretéritas como épocas mejores.People always remember past times as better times.
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