1. El pretérito perfecto El pluscuamperfecto The present perfect (what has happened) The past perfect (what had happened)

2. In English Both English and Spanish form compound tenses with a helping verb followed by the past participle of the main verb. In English, the helping verb is to have. In Spanish the helping verb is haber.

3. El préterito perfecto Use the pretérito perfecto to say what has happened. It refers to something that was completed at an indefinite time in the past but that still has an effect on the present, or to something that always has been (and might still be) true.

4. Por ejemplo Nosotros hemos viajado a Uxmal. We have traveled to Uxmal (at some point before now) Siempre he querido viajar a Cancún, pero hasta la fecha no he podido. I have always wanted to travel to Cancún, but so far I have not been able to.

5. El pluscuamperfecto Refers to an action that was completed at an indefinite time before a past moment. Cuando nos invitaron a Mérida ya habíamos viajado a Yucatán. When they invited us to Merida, we had already traveled to the Yucatan.

6. To form the pretérito perfecto Conjugate the verb haber in the present tense and add the past participle of the main verb Hehemos Hashabéis+ past participle Hahan

7. To form the pluscuamperfecto Conjugate the verb haber in the imperfect tense and add the past participle of the main verb. Habíahabíamos Habíashabíais + past participle Habíahabían