Re-Telling the Uses and Meanings of Simple Present Perfect

We use Simple Present Perfect in a set of ways in which we either try to convey the fact
that an action that has started in the past is still ongoing or is relevant for the present (1), or that
the action has ended.
Although there are 9 ways in which we can use the Simple Present Perfect, here we will
try to illustrate and explain 4 of the main uses of the Simple Present Perfect.

It will also be pointed out the way in which we translate the sentences in Romanian as to
better understand the mechanism in which this tense works.
These being said, the 4 ways in use the Simple Present Perfect are:

1) used for an action which started in the past but it is still ongoing in the present:

I have known him for years. – here, the idea is that I have known him a long time ago and I still
know him and interact with him.

I have taught at this school for twenty years. – here, the idea is, again, that I started teaching at
this school in the past and I am still teaching here; my activity has not, yet, ended.

We have insisted on that many times. – here, we see, the idea is slightly different: on numerous
occasions – up to this point – we have insisted with one argument or another on the topic that is
discussed. We might or we might not insist, depending on how the situation develops.

Now, in order to correctly understand the sentences, we will translated them into
Romanian.

The first sentence ca be translated as such: Îl știu/ cunosc de ani de zile; while we might
be tempted to translated the sentences by using the Romanian tense perfectul compus, that is
actually wrong, because the action – knowing a person – uses a stative verb; the verb does not
describe an action (such as eating), rather a state of affairs.

The second sentence, likewise, can be translated as such: Predau în această școală de 20
de ani; take note that if we were to use the tense perfectul compus, we would imply that the
action is finished, that it has ended. And this is not the case: Am predat în această școală timp de
20 de ani.

The third and final sentence here is opposed to the 2 previous ones: instead of using the
Romanian timpul prezent, we use perfectul compus: Am insistat asupra acestei chestiuni de
multe ori/ de fiecare dată. This is so because the action, while still ongoing, cannot be translated
into Romanian using a time which speaks about an action is happens at the moment of speech.
The Romanian timpul prezent, just like its English counterpart, describes an action which
happens routineusly; but here the meaning is that of an action which happens repeatedly not in
the present, but which happens from an unspecified time and may (or may not) still happen. That
is why this third sentence cannot be translated through the tense timpul prezent.

2) for an action which started, developed and was completed in the past, and has
consequences in the present:

I have read this novel. – here, the fact that I read this novel allows me to talk about it.

I have broken my leg. – here, it is a consequence of this: I broke my leg and thus I cannot walk.

The lift has got out of order. – again, it is a consequence that results in the fact that we have to
use the stairs.

For this second use, we must use prezentul compus in order to correctly translate these
sentences: Am citit acest roman; Mi-am rupt piciorul; Liftul a ieșit din garanție.

Yet, if we pay close attention to the third sentence, we see an interesting fact: we can
translate it into Romanian by rephrasing it: Liftul nu mai funcționează; this implies that Liftul s-a
stricat și, prin urmare, nu mai funcționează.

3) used to express completion of the action (that is has ended):

Who’s drunk my milk? – someone clearly drank the milk from the glass, which was for me.

I’ve looked over all the papers. – I read all the papers.

Here, clearly, we use perfectul compus to correctly translate the sentences: Cine mi-a
băut laptele? and Am citit toate documentele/ M-am uitat peste toate documentele.

4) used either to put emphasis on the action (and we do not mention the time; it is
irrelevant) or when the time is not mentioned (it is understood that the time is limited
to now):

(a) I’ve been very busy recently. (I’ve been very busy lately/ Lately, I’ve been very busy)
(b) Have you ever seen this play? (up to this moment, did you get the chance to see the
play?)
Have you seen them?/ Have you had lunch? (until this moment, when I am asking you
this question, did you see them/ get to eat your lunch?)

Simple Present Perfect with Since, Just, For and Yet

One of the most used prepositions used with the Simple Present Perfect is for; and the
most used the adverbs for, yet and just.

I have just got home – just now I returned home from wherever I went.
We have lived here since we moved from our hometown. – we didn’t live here before moving
from our hometown; and once we left home and came here, this is the home in which we have
lived.

I have written for decades for the Adevărul magazine. – I started writing for this magazine and I
still write for it.

Yet can be used in two different situations: (1) in questions we ask about something that we
expect to happen: Have they finished eating yet? or (2) in negative sentences: They have not yet
returned home. They haven’t finished writing yet.

P.S.: I hope that this material I have written for you will help you better understand this
grammar tense.