Spanish Tenses - Part 2

Uses of the Past Definite (or Preterite) and the Present Perfect (as: Yo he comprado: I have bought).

According to the English rule, the Past Def. (or Preterite) should be used to narrate events which happened in the past, in a period of time which does not include the present moment as:

• Yo lo compre el ano pasado: I bought it last year.

The Present Perfect (called in Spanish Preterito Compuesto) should be used when the period of time includes the present moment, as:

• He fletado muchos buques: I have chartered many ships.

By following this rule students will always be correct, but we must notice that in Spanish we find the "Preterito compuesto" often used instead of the Past Definite:

1. When the period, although entirely past, is not defined, as:

• Le ha facturado la quincalla: He invoiced him the smallware.

2. When although entirely past and definite, it is very recent, as:

• Se lo he dicho hace un momento: I told him a moment ago.

The English Compound Past:"I had spoken": is rendered by "yo había hablado" or "yo hube hablado."

"Yo había hablado" is in general use.

"Yo hube hablado" is used only after cuando, luego que, inmediatamente que; viz., when the action is represented as immediately preceding another.

Cuando hube declarado mis intenciones, Cuando declaré mis intenciones, se convenció--When I declared my intentions, he was convinced.

The Future Indicative, (as well as the Conditional Mood) are used in Spanish oftener than in English to denote probability, as:

• Habrá 20 hombres aquí: I dare say there are 20 men here.
• ¿Le habré dado este derecho? Have I, perchance, given him this right?
• ¿Tendría miedo talvez? Was he afraid, perhaps?

The Future Progressive, is not used in Spanish when its place may be taken by the ordinary Future Simple, as:

• Le escribire mañana: I shall be writing him to-morrow.

But:

• Cuando él venga yo estare escribiendo: When he comes I shall be writing.

The Present Subjunctive in Spanish refers to time present or future; for time future, its place may be taken by the future Subj. (little used).[2]

• Quiero que él lo haga: I want him to do it.
• Querré " " ": I shall want " ""
• Quiere tú " " ": Want (thou) " ""

Otherwise the verb in the Subjunctive is in the Imperfect tense.

• Le he dicho que se vaya: I have told him to go.

But if it stands for the English "I told," it governs the Imperfect Subj., as:

• Le dije (he dicho) que se fuese: I told him to go.

When the preceding verb is in the Future Perfect, the verb in the Subjunctive may be put in the Present when its action does not refer to the past, as:

• Habré querido que trabaje hoy o mañana: I shall have (may have) wanted him to work to-day or to-morrow.