Present perfect vs past simple
Two ways to look at the past
- Both tenses talk about the past — but in different ways.
- Past simple = a finished time. Present perfect = connected to now.
- I saw it yesterday. / I have seen it.
I lost my keys yesterday; I have found three old receipts since.
Duas formas de olhar para o passado
- Ambos os tempos falam sobre o passado — mas de maneiras diferentes.
- Past simple = um tempo terminado. Present perfect = conectado ao agora.
- I saw it yesterday. / I have seen it.
I lost my keys yesterday; I have found three old receipts since.
Finished time → past simple
- Use the past simple with a finished past time.
- yesterday, last week, in 2019, two days ago.
- We met in 2018. She called an hour ago.
Tempo terminado → past simple
- Use o past simple com um tempo passado terminante.
- yesterday, last week, in 2019, two days ago.
- We met in 2018. She called an hour ago.
Connected to now → present perfect
- Use the present perfect for experience or the recent past, with no exact time.
- I have visited Japan. He has just left.
- It matters now — the result or the experience.
Conectado ao agora → present perfect
- Use o present perfect para experiência ou passado recente, com nenhum tempo exato.
- I have visited Japan. He has just left.
- Importa agora — o resultado ou a experiência.
Complete: Have you ever ___ (be) to London?
Experience with “ever” → present perfect: “Have you ever been …?” · Experiência com “ever” → present perfect: “Have you ever been …?”
Signal words
- Past simple: yesterday, … ago, last …, in 2019.
- Present perfect: just, already, yet, ever, never, since, for.
- Never put a finished time with the present perfect.
Palavras sinalizadoras
- Past simple: yesterday, … ago, last …, in 2019.
- Present perfect: just, already, yet, ever, never, since, for.
- Nunca coloque um tempo terminante com o present perfect.
Which tense does the signal word want? · Que tempo a palavra sinal quer?
A finished time → past simple; an open / 'up to now' word → present perfect. · Tempo terminado → past simple; palavra aberta / 'até agora' → present perfect.
Choose the correct sentence. · Escolha a frase correta.
“yesterday” is a finished time → past simple: “I saw him yesterday.” · “yesterday” é um tempo terminado → past simple: “I saw him yesterday.”
Is this correct? “I have finished my homework an hour ago.” · Isso está correto? “I have finished my homework an hour ago.”
“an hour ago” is a finished time → past simple: “I finished … an hour ago.” · “an hour ago” é um tempo terminado → past simple: “I finished … an hour ago.”
Translate into English: 我从没去过北京。 · Traduza para inglês: 我从没去过北京。
Experience (never) → present perfect: “I have never been to Beijing.” · Experiência (never) → present perfect: “I have never been to Beijing.”
Common mistakes
- ❌ When have you arrived? → ✓ When did you arrive? — when asks for a past time.
- ❌ This is the first time I go here. → ✓ …the first time I have been here.
- just now → past simple; just → present perfect: I finished just now. / I have just finished.
Erros comuns
- ❌ When have you arrived? → ✓ When did you arrive? — when pergunta por um tempo passado.
- ❌ This is the first time I go here. → ✓ …the first time I have been here.
- just now → past simple; just → present perfect: I finished just now. / I have just finished.
Which sentence is correct? · Qual frase está correta?
last year is an exact past time → past simple. · last year é um tempo passado exato → past simple.
Complete with one word: I have ___ finished — the report is on your desk. · Complete com uma palavra: I have ___ finished — the report is on your desk.
just sits inside the present perfect; just now would need the past simple. · just fica dentro do present perfect; just now precisaria do past simple.
- Finished past time → past simple.
- Experience / recent, no time given → present perfect.
- yesterday → past simple; just / already / ever → present perfect.
- Tempo passado terminante → past simple.
- Experiência / recente, sem tempo dado → present perfect.
- yesterday → past simple; just / already / ever → present perfect.
Write one sentence about something you have done recently, using the present perfect (no exact time). · Escreva uma frase sobre algo que você fez recentemente, usando o present perfect (sem tempo exato).
Example: “I have just finished a good book.” · Exemplo: “I have just finished a good book.”