Pitman's Commercial Spanish Grammar (2nd ed.)Lesson XXVI. (Lección vigésima sexta) The Tenses (contd.)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. N.B. -- Plegue a Dios que el año que hoy empieza sea mas feliz que lo ha sido el pasado: May it please God that the year which commences today may be happier than the last has been (Grammar of the Academy).[153] Footnote 153: Here the Present Perfect is used in both languages, because the effects reach up to the present moment. 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. N.B. -- The Past Def. Simple may always take its place. 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 tomorrow. 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).[154] Footnote 154: Except after "cuando" (but not in conversation), as -- Use of Tenses of the Subjunctive Mood. The verb in the Subj. Mood is put in the Present tense when the preceding verb is in the Pres. Indic., Future Indic. (simple) or Imperative, as -- 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. N.B. -- When the preceding verb is in the "preterito compuesto," e.g., "he dicho," when "he dicho" stands exactly for the English "I have told," it governs the Pres. Subj., as -- 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 today or tomorrow. |