El Present Perfect y el Past Simple hablan de cosas del pasado, pero con enfoques diferentes. Aquí aprenderás cuándo usar cada uno sin confundirte.
1) Mapa rápido
Idea general:
• Usa Present Perfect para experiencias, resultados recientes o periodos que siguen “abiertos” (this week, today, this year…).
• Usa Past Simple cuando el tiempo ya está “cerrado” (yesterday, last year, in 2019…).
2) Usos principales en contraste
| Situación | Present Perfect | Past Simple |
|---|---|---|
| Experiencia en la vida (no dices cuándo) | I have visited London. (Lo he hecho en algún momento de mi vida.) | I visited London in 2018. (Cuándo exactamente: 2018.) |
| Resultado que importa ahora | She has lost her keys. (Ahora no las tiene.) | She lost her keys yesterday. (Hecho en un momento concreto del pasado.) |
| Periodo no terminado (hoy, esta semana…) | I have studied a lot today. (El día aún no ha terminado.) | I studied a lot yesterday. (Ayer ya terminó.) |
| Relato de una historia | He has written three books. (Resultado; los libros existen ahora.) | He wrote his first book when he was 20. (Evento concreto en el pasado.) |
3) Expresiones de tiempo típicas
| Present Perfect | Past Simple |
|---|---|
|
|
Si ves yesterday, last…, ago, in 2010 → casi siempre Past Simple.
4) Contrastes clave en ejemplos
1) Experiencia vs momento concreto
I have visited Spain three times. (experiencia hasta ahora)
I visited Spain last summer. (momento concreto)
2) Resultado presente vs pasado
I can’t come out. I have broken my leg. (ahora está rota)
I broke my leg when I was a child. (hecho pasado, ahora puede estar bien)
3) Periodo abierto vs cerrado
I haven’t seen him this week. (la semana sigue)
I didn’t see him last week. (la semana ya terminó)
4) Preguntar por experiencia / información
Have you ever been to New York? (¿experiencia en la vida?)
When did you go to New York? (¿cuándo exactamente?)
5) Mini-diálogos comparativos
Diálogo 1 – Experiencia
A: Have you ever tried Indian food?
B: Yes, I have. I tried it last year in London.
Diálogo 2 – Resultado reciente
A: Why are you so happy?
B: I’ve just passed my exam!
A: Really? When did you take it?
B: I took it on Monday.
Diálogo 3 – Esta semana vs la semana pasada
A: I haven’t done much exercise this week.
B: Really? You did a lot of exercise last week.
6) Errores comunes
| Incorrecto | Correcto | Por qué |
|---|---|---|
| *I have seen that movie yesterday.* | I saw that movie yesterday. | yesterday → Past Simple. |
| *Did you ever visit London?* | Have you ever visited London? | Experiencia general → Present Perfect + ever. |
| *I have been in London in 2019.* | I was in London in 2019. | in 2019 es un tiempo cerrado → Past Simple. |
| *I didn’t never go to Spain.* | I have never been to Spain. / I never went to Spain. | No doblar negación; escoge Present Perfect (experiencia) o Past Simple (historia). |
| *I have gone to the cinema last night.* | I went to the cinema last night. | last night → Past Simple. |
7) Mini-práctica
- Elige Present Perfect o Past Simple según el contexto (usa el verbo entre paréntesis):
a) I ______ (see) that film three times. (experiencia)
b) I ______ (see) that film last weekend. (tiempo concreto)
c) She ______ (just / finish) her homework. (resultado ahora)
d) She ______ (finish) her homework two hours ago. (momento concreto)
e) ______ you ever ______ (eat) sushi? (experiencia)
f) When ______ you ______ (eat) sushi for the first time? (momento concreto) - Completa con la opción correcta (Present Perfect o Past Simple):
a) We (have lived / lived) in this city since 2020.
b) We (have lived / lived) in that city for three years, but now we live here.
c) I (have lost / lost) my keys. I can’t find them.
d) I (have lost / lost) my keys yesterday, but I found them later. - Marca las frases correctas (✔) y corrige las incorrectas:
a) I have visited Paris last year. ______
b) Have you ever been to Canada? ______
c) I didn’t see him this week. ______
d) She has already finished the report. ______ - Completa con una expresión de tiempo adecuada:
a) I haven’t seen my best friend ______. (esta semana / la semana pasada)
b) I saw my best friend ______. (esta semana / la semana pasada)
c) I have read three books ______. (en mi vida / el año pasado)
d) I read three books ______. (en mi vida / el año pasado) - Traduce al inglés usando el tiempo correcto:
a) ¿Alguna vez has estado en Canadá? (ever)
b) Fui a Canadá en 2019.
c) Acabo de terminar mi proyecto. (just)
d) No he visto a Ana esta semana.
e) No vi a Ana la semana pasada.
Respuestas ejemplo:
1) a) have seen b) saw c) has just finished d) finished e) Have you ever eaten…? f) did you eat
2) a) have lived (desde 2020 → sigue) b) lived (periodo pasado completo) c) have lost d) lost
3) a) ✗ → I visited Paris last year. / I have visited Paris.
b) ✔
c) ✗ → I haven’t seen him this week. (semana abierta)
d) ✔
4) (posibles) a) this week (Present Perfect) b) last week (Past Simple) c) in my life (Present Perfect) d) last year (Past Simple)
5) a) Have you ever been to Canada?
b) I went to Canada in 2019.
c) I have just finished my project.
d) I haven’t seen Ana this week.
e) I didn’t see Ana last week.
8) Próximo paso
Continúa con Present Perfect Continuous (duración) para expresar acciones que empezaron en el pasado, continúan ahora y enfatizan la duración (por ejemplo: I’ve been studying for three hours.).