Sara
Past participle in Spanish
Hello, I'm not sure if this sounds stupid but I don't understand what the past participle actually is.
I have been learning the preterite and imperfect and I think I understand when to use them but I don't really understand what the past participle is. What is it? When is it used? I'm really confused. :S
Apr 25, 2017 4:00 AM
Comments · 2
Hi, Sara.
It's not stupid at all. In all languages there are some structures hard to understand for non natives.
As far as I can find in Internet, past participe is simply the old name for participe. (1)
For example: Amado, temido, partido.
It always has a past and perfective aspect, maybe this is the reason you can find it named as "past participe" in old references (2), but RAE has deprecated this denomination (3). We use it to build perfect tenses.
La he amado toda mi vida
Has temido su desaparición
Cuando hubieron partido, se notó un alivio general
Please, be more specific if you can in order to help you better :-)
2.- http://zonaele.com/participio-pasado/ (have a look to the link named "Participio presente". In my opinion, it has no much sense)
April 25, 2017
Believe it or not, it’s the same as the past participle in English:
Hemos hablado.
We have spoken.
When used in this way (to form the perfect), it does not agree in number or gender.
In the following uses, it does agree in gender and number:
As in English, it can also be used as a *passive* participle, to form the passive voice.
El auto fue robado.
(Plural: Los autos fueron robados)
The car was stolen.
In reality, however, Spanish tends to use other constructions instead of the passive voice:
Robaron el auto.
Alguien robó el auto.
Se robó el auto.
As in English, it can be an adjective or predicate adjective:
Se encontró el auto robado.
The stolen car was found.
Pedro está aburrido.
(María está aburrida.)
Peter (María) is bored.
Pedro es aburrido.
(María es aburrida.)
Peter (María) is boring. (Note that this is a bit idiomatic.)
April 25, 2017
Sara
Language Skills
Chinese (Mandarin), English, Italian, Spanish
Learning Language
Chinese (Mandarin), Italian, Spanish
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