DELE A2 Present Perfect: Practice Test & Review
The present perfect (he hablado) describes past actions connected to the present. It is the tense you use for today, this week, this year, and life experiences. It appears in every section of the DELE A2 exam, and it is one of the tenses that distinguishes Spanish from English.
This page gives you a five-part practice quiz: an evaluation set to see where you stand, three practice sets to drill the forms and uses, and a challenge set to confirm mastery. If you get stuck, scroll down for the full explanation.
Ready? Start with the evaluation set below.
Grammar Guide
The Rule
The present perfect describes a past action that is connected to the present. It is formed with the present tense of haber (he, has, ha, hemos, habéis, han) plus the past participle.
He estudiado español = I have studied Spanish (and that knowledge is with me now).
¿Has comido? = Have you eaten? (today, relevant to now).
The present perfect does not say when the action happened. It says the action has happened, and it matters now.
Haber Forms
| Subject | Haber | Example with hablar | Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yo | he | he hablado | I have spoken |
| Tú | has | has hablado | You have spoken |
| Él / Ella / Usted | ha | ha hablado | He / She / You have spoken |
| Nosotros | hemos | hemos hablado | We have spoken |
| Vosotros | habéis | habéis hablado | You have spoken |
| Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes | han | han hablado | They / You have spoken |
Haber is the auxiliary verb. It carries the person and number. The participle stays the same.
Regular Participles
| Infinitive | Participle | Example |
|---|---|---|
| hablar | hablado | He hablado. |
| comer | comido | He comido. |
| vivir | vivido | He vivido. |
-ar verbs → -ado. -er and -ir verbs → -ido.
Irregular Participles
| Verb | Participle | Example |
|---|---|---|
| hacer | hecho | He hecho. |
| decir | dicho | He dicho. |
| ver | visto | He visto. |
| volver | vuelto | He vuelto. |
| abrir | abierto | He abierto. |
| poner | puesto | He puesto. |
| romper | roto | He roto. |
| escribir | escrito | He escrito. |
| morir | muerto | Ha muerto. |
| freír | frito | He frito. |
| cubrir | cubierto | He cubierto. |
| resolver | resuelto | He resuelto. |
The most common irregular participles at A2 are hecho, dicho, visto, vuelto, abierto, puesto, roto, and escrito.
When to Use the Present Perfect
| Use | Example | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| Action in a time period that includes now | Hoy he comido paella. | Today I have eaten paella. |
| Life experience (ever / never) | ¿Has viajado a México? | Have you ever traveled to Mexico? |
| Recent action with present result | He roto el vaso. | I have broken the glass. |
| Action with “already” / “not yet” | Ya he terminado. / Todavía no he comido. | I have already finished. / I haven’t eaten yet. |
| Actions repeated up to now | He ido al gimnasio tres veces esta semana. | I have gone to the gym three times this week. |
Time Markers for the Present Perfect
| Marker | Meaning |
|---|---|
| hoy | today |
| esta mañana | this morning |
| esta tarde | this afternoon |
| esta semana | this week |
| este mes | this month |
| este año | this year |
| últimamente | lately |
| ya | already |
| todavía no | not yet |
| alguna vez | ever |
| nunca | never |
| siempre | always |
| recientemente | recently |
| ¿cuántas veces? | how many times? |
These markers connect the past to the present. They force the present perfect.
Present Perfect vs. Preterite
| Present Perfect | Preterite |
|---|---|
| hoy, esta semana, este año | ayer, anoche, la semana pasada |
| Ever / never | Specific past event |
| Action with present result | Completed action |
| “Have you ever…?” | “Did you…?” |
Hoy he comido paella = Today I have eaten paella (the day isn’t over).
Ayer comí paella = Yesterday I ate paella (the day is over).
In Spain vs. Latin America
In Spain, the present perfect is the standard tense for today and recent past: Hoy he desayunado.
In much of Latin America, the preterite is used where Spain uses the present perfect: Hoy desayuné.
Both are correct. The DELE exam follows Instituto Cervantes norms, which accept both. Use the present perfect for time periods that include now.
Common Mistakes
- Using the preterite with hoy or esta semana.
✗ Hoy comí paella.
✓ Hoy he comido paella.
Hoy includes now, so use the present perfect. - Forgetting the irregular participle.
✗ He hacido la tarea.
✓ He hecho la tarea.
Hacer has the irregular participle hecho, not hacido. - Making the participle agree with the subject.
✗ Nosotros hemos hablados.
✓ Nosotros hemos hablado.
The past participle never changes form in the present perfect. - Using the present perfect with a specific past time marker.
✗ Ayer he comido paella.
✓ Ayer comí paella.
Ayer is a completed time period. Use the preterite.
Quick Decision Chart
| Ask yourself | Answer | Tense |
|---|---|---|
| Is the time period today, this week, this year? | Yes | Present perfect |
| Is it a life experience (ever / never)? | Yes | Present perfect |
| Is it “already” or “not yet”? | Yes | Present perfect |
| Is it a recent action with a present result? | Yes | Present perfect |
| Is there a specific past time marker (ayer, el lunes)? | Yes | Preterite |
| Does the verb have an irregular participle? | Yes | Use the irregular form |
Two Sentences That Show the Difference
Hoy he comido paella.
Today I have eaten paella.
- The day isn’t over, so the action connects to now.
Ayer comí paella.
Yesterday I ate paella.
- Yesterday is a completed time period. Use the preterite.
¿Has estado en México?
Have you ever been to Mexico?
- Life experience. Present perfect.
¿Estuviste en México el año pasado?
Were you in Mexico last year?
- Specific past time. Preterite.
