59. Compound Tenses

Explanation

In this topic we will look at Spanish Compound Tenses.

Compound Tenses are verb forms that combine more than one verb to express more complex aspects of time and action. They are different from Simple Tenses, which consist of only one verb.

We have already seen three Compound Tenses: I am verb-ing, I am going to verb, and I have verb-ed. Compound Tenses are formed with elements we already know and know how to conjugate. However, you will probably be unaware how to combine them to form these tenses.

Let’s see now how to construct other compound tenses…

I have been verb-ing

To describe an action that began in the past and has been continuing to the present.

Yo + he + estado + -ando/-iendo: I have been verb-ing
Tú has + estado + -ando/-iendo: You have been verb-ing
Él/Ella + ha + estado + -ando/-iendo: He/She has been verb-ing
Nosotros + hemos + estado + -ando/-iendo: We have been verb-ing
Vosotros + habéis + estado + -ando/-iendo: You have been verb-ing
Ellos/Ellas + han + estado + -ando/-iendo: They have been verb-ing

I had been verb-ing

To describe an action in the past that had been happening before another point in the past.

Yo + había + estado + -ando/-iendo: I had been verb-ing
Tú + habías + estado + -ando/-iendo: You had been verb-ing
Él/Ella + había + estado + -ando/-iendo: He/She had been verb-ing
Nosotros + habíamos + estado + -ando/-iendo: We had been verb-ing
Vosotros + habíais + estado + -ando/-iendo: You had been verb-ing
Ellos/Ellas + habían + estado + -ando/-iendo: They had been verb-ing

I had verb-ed

To describe an action in the past that had happened before another point in the past.

Yo + había + -ado/-ido: I had verb-ed
Tú + habías + -ado/-ido: You had verb-ed
Él/Ella + había + -ado/-ido: He/She had verb-ed
Nosotros + habíamos + -ado/-ido: We had verb-ed
Vosotros + habíais + -ado/-ido: You had verb-ed
Ellos/Ellas + habían + -ado/-ido: They had verb-ed

I was verb-ing

To describe an action that was happening in the past.

Yo + estuve/estaba + -ando/-iendo: I was verb-ing
Tú + estuviste/estabas + -ando/-iendo: You were verb-ing
Él/Ella + estuvo/estaba + -ando/-iendo: He/She was verb-ing
Nosotros + estuvimos/estábamos + -ando/-iendo: We were verb-ing
Vosotros + estuvisteis/estabais + -ando/-iendo: You were verb-ing
Ellos/Ellas + estuvieron/estaban + -ando/-iendo: They were verb-ing

I will be verb-ing

To describe an action that will be happening at a specific point in the future.

Yo + estaré + -ando/-iendo: I will be verb-ing
Tú + estarás + -ando/-iendo: You will be verb-ing
Él/Ella + estará + -ando/-iendo: He/She will be verb-ing
Nosotros + estaremos + -ando/-iendo: We will be verb-ing
Vosotros + estaréis + -ando/-iendo: You will be verb-ing
Ellos/Ellas + estarán + -ando/-iendo: They will be verb-ing

I will have verb-ed

To describe an action that will have happened by a specific point in the future.

Yo + habré + -ado/-ido: I will have verb-ed
Tú + habrás + -ado/-ido: You will have verb-ed
Él/Ella + habrá + -ado/-ido: He/She will have verb-ed
Nosotros + habremos + -ado/-ido: We will have verb-ed
Vosotros + habréis + -ado/-ido: You will have verb-ed
Ellos/Ellas + habrán + -ado/-ido: They will have verb-ed

I will have been verb-ing

To describe an action that will have been happening up to a specific point in the future.

Yo + habré + estado + -ando/-iendo: I will have been verb-ing
Tú + habrás + estado + -ando/-iendo: You will have been verb-ing
Él/Ella + habrá + estado + -ando/-iendo: He/She will have been verb-ing
Nosotros + habremos + estado + -ando/-iendo: We will have been verb-ing
Vosotros + habréis + estado + -ando/-iendo: You will have been verb-ing
Ellos/Ellas + habrán + estado + -ando/-iendo: They will have been verb-ing