Present Perfect Tense: Rules, Examples & Exercises

Updated: • Level: A1–B1 • Length: ~8–10 min

Form: have/has + past participle (V3). Use for: life experience, unfinished time (this week/since 2019), and recent actions with results now.

الصيغة: have/has + التصريف الثالث (V3). الاستخدام: تجارب الحياة، زمن غير منتهٍ (هذا الأسبوع/منذ 2019)، وأفعال حديثة نتيجتها ظاهرة الآن.

Chart: have/has + V3 with uses: experience, unfinished time, recent results
Present Perfect at a glance — usage & formation

When to Use

  • Life experience (no finished time): I’ve visited Turkey. (not: in 2019)
  • تجارب الحياة (بدون زمن منتهٍ): لقد زرت تركيا. (بدون: في 2019)
  • Unfinished time period: I’ve read three books this month. We’ve lived here since 2019.
  • فترة زمنية غير منتهية: قرأت ثلاثة كتب هذا الشهر. نعيش هنا منذ 2019.
  • Recent past with present result: She’s just broken her arm. (result now: arm is broken)
  • حدث حديث ونتيجته الآن: لقد كسرت ذراعها للتو. (النتيجة: الذراع مكسورة الآن)
  • Change over time / achievements: He has improved a lot. Scientists have discovered a new planet.
  • تغيّر مع الزمن / إنجازات: لقد تحسّن كثيرًا. لقد اكتشف العلماء كوكبًا جديدًا.

How to Form

SubjectAuxiliaryPast Participle (V3)Example
I/You/We/TheyhaveV3I have finished. / We have seen it.
He/She/IthasV3She has eaten. / It has broken.

Contractions: I’ve, you’ve, we’ve, they’ve; he’s, she’s, it’s; haven’t, hasn’t.

الاختصارات: I’ve / he’s / haven’t / hasn’t …

Irregular V3 forms: go → gone, see → seen, eat → eaten, write → written… (See: Irregular Verbs List).

Time Expressions

ever / never

ever (questions): Have you ever flown?
never (negative meaning): I’ve never flown.

ever للأسئلة: هل سبق أن…؟ / never للنفي: لم يسبق لي…

already / just / yet

already (before expected): I’ve already eaten.
just (very recent): She’s just arrived.
yet (negatives/questions, end position): Have you finished yet? I haven’t finished yet.

already: بالفعل / just: للتو / yet: حتى الآن (في النفي/السؤال).

Note: In American English, past simple is common with “just/already” in conversation: “I just ate.” Both forms are widely understood.

since / for

since + point in time (2019, Monday, 8am).
for + duration (2 hours, three years).

since + نقطة بداية / for + مدة زمنية.

Unfinished time

today, this morning/week/month/year, lately, recently, so far, up to now.

اليوم، هذا الصباح/الأسبوع…، مؤخرًا، حتى الآن.

Negatives & Questions

Negative

Subject + have/has + not + V3 → I haven’t seen it. / He hasn’t finished.

النفي: الفاعل + have/has + not + V3 → I haven’t… / He hasn’t…

Yes/No Questions

Have/Has + subject + V3? → Have you eaten? Has she called?

الأسئلة: Have/Has + الفاعل + V3؟

Short answers: Yes, I have. / No, he hasn’t.

Wh- Questions

Wh- + have/has + subject + V3? → How long have you lived here?

سؤال بـ Wh-: Wh- + have/has + الفاعل + V3؟

Examples (EN ⇄ AR)

  • I’ve visited Paris twice. experience
  • لقد زرت باريس مرتين.
  • She has worked here since 2021. since
  • إنها تعمل هنا منذ 2021.
  • We’ve already finished the report. already
  • لقد أنهينا التقرير بالفعل.
  • Have you ever tried sushi? ever
  • هل سبق أن جرّبت السوشي؟
  • He hasn’t called me yet. yet
  • لم يتصل بي حتى الآن.

Present Perfect vs Past Simple

UsePresent PerfectPast Simple
Time reference No finished time: “I’ve seen that film.” Finished time given: “I saw it yesterday / in 2020.”
Unfinished vs finished period “I’ve read three books this month.” (month not finished) “I read three books last month.” (finished period)
Recent result “She’s just left.” (result now) “She left a minute ago.” (finished moment)

Avoid present perfect with finished-time words: yesterday, last week, in 2019, two days ago, then, when I was 10…

تجنّب المضارع التام مع كلمات زمن منتهٍ: أمس، الأسبوع الماضي، في 2019، منذ يومين…

“Been to” vs “Gone to”

  • have been to = visited and returned: I’ve been to London. (I’m back)
  • have been to = ذهبت وعدت: لقد ذهبت إلى لندن (والآن عدت).
  • have gone to = went and still away: She’s gone to the bank. (she is there now)
  • have gone to = ذهبت وما زالت هناك: لقد ذهبت إلى البنك (هي هناك الآن).

Common Mistakes

  • ✗ I have eat breakfast. → ✓ I have eaten breakfast. (use V3)
  • ✗ I’ve seen him yesterday. → ✓ I saw him yesterday. (finished time → past simple)
  • ✗ Did you ever go to Japan? → ✓ Have you ever been to Japan? (experience question)
  • ✗ I don’t have saw it. → ✓ I haven’t seen it. (use have/has, not do/does)
  • ✗ I have eat → ✓ I have eaten (استخدم التصريف الثالث).
  • ✗ I’ve seen him yesterday → ✓ I saw him yesterday (زمن منتهٍ → ماضٍ بسيط).
  • ✗ Did you ever…? (للخبرة) → ✓ Have you ever…?

Exercises

1) Fill in (have/has + V3)

  1. They ___ (see) that film three times.
  2. He ___ (not/eat) yet.
  3. I ___ (never/try) sushi.
  4. She ___ (just/finish) her homework.

2) since or for?

  1. We’ve lived here ___ 2019.
  2. I’ve known him ___ ten years.
  3. She has worked at this company ___ May.

3) Choose Present Perfect or Past Simple

  1. I (have lost / lost) my keys. Can you help me? result now
  2. We (have visited / visited) Cairo in 2022. finished time
  3. She (has read / read) three books this week. unfinished week

4) Word order (already / just / yet)

  1. I / finished / already → _______________________
  2. Has / she / yet / arrived / ? → _______________________
  3. He / just / left → _______________________

5) Been or gone?

  1. Tom isn’t here. He has ______ to the gym.
  2. I have ______ to Spain twice. I love Barcelona.
Answers

1) Fill in

  1. have seen
  2. hasn’t eaten
  3. have never tried
  4. has just finished

2) since / for

  1. since
  2. for
  3. since

3) Choose

  1. have lost
  2. visited
  3. has read

4) Word order

  1. I’ve already finished.
  2. Has she arrived yet?
  3. He’s just left.

5) Been / Gone

  1. gone
  2. been

1-Minute Quiz

Choose the best answer.