The past participle is one of the non-personal forms of a verb. Its main function is to form the perfect tenses together with the auxiliar verb "haber" (to have, as an auxiliary verb).
1st conjugation -AR: participle ends in -ado
2nd conjugation -ER: participle ends in –ido
3rd conjugation -IR: participle ends in –ido
The past participle can also work as an adjective. In this case, the adjective agrees in gender and number with the noun that modifies.
El hombre accidentado continúa en el hospital.
The injured man remains in the hospital.
La mujer embarazada dio a luz anoche.
The pregnant woman gave birth last night.
Los alumnos aprobados ya han terminado las clases.
Students who have passed their exams have already finished classes.
It can also work as an attribute with copulative verbs such as ser, estar, and parecer (verbs that by nature cannot take a direct object).
El pastel está quemado.
The cake is burnt.
Esta casa parece muy descuidada.
This house seems neglected.
1. Modal: it answers the question "¿cómo?" (how?).
Llegamos a casa cansados después del viaje.
After the trip, we got home tired.
2. Temporal: it answers the question "¿cuándo?" (when?).
Dicho lo que tenía que decir, se marchó. (Después de decir lo que...)
After having said all he had to say, he left.
3. Causal: it answers the question "¿por qué?" (why?).
Muy contentos con el resultado, los jugadores celebraron la victoria.
Being happy with the results, the players celebrated the victory.
4. Conditional: it answers the question "¿en qué caso?" (in what situation?).
¡Cuidado! Una vez abierto el paquete, no se puede devolver.
Be careful! Once the package has been opened, it can't be returned.
5. Concessive: it's equivalent to "aunque" (although).
Menos aplicado que los demás alumnos, se graduó el primero de la clase. (Aunque era menos aplicado que...)
Although he was less diligent than the rest of students, he graduated first in his class.
1st conjugation -AR: participle ends in -ado
2nd conjugation -ER: participle ends in –ido
3rd conjugation -IR: participle ends in –ido
| Perfect tense | Auxiliary verb "haber" +Participio | Auxiliary verb "to have" +Past Participle | ||||
| Present Perfect | he comprado | I have bought | ||||
| Past Perfect | habíamos/hubimos cantado | We had sung | ||||
| Future Perfect | habrán comido | They will have eaten | ||||
| Conditional Perfect | habrías bebido | You would have drunk |
The past participle can also work as an adjective. In this case, the adjective agrees in gender and number with the noun that modifies.
El hombre accidentado continúa en el hospital.
The injured man remains in the hospital.
La mujer embarazada dio a luz anoche.
The pregnant woman gave birth last night.
Los alumnos aprobados ya han terminado las clases.
Students who have passed their exams have already finished classes.
It can also work as an attribute with copulative verbs such as ser, estar, and parecer (verbs that by nature cannot take a direct object).
El pastel está quemado.
The cake is burnt.
Esta casa parece muy descuidada.
This house seems neglected.
Uses of the Participle:
A participle, as well as adjectives, can have one of the following circumstantial values:1. Modal: it answers the question "¿cómo?" (how?).
Llegamos a casa cansados después del viaje.
After the trip, we got home tired.
2. Temporal: it answers the question "¿cuándo?" (when?).
Dicho lo que tenía que decir, se marchó. (Después de decir lo que...)
After having said all he had to say, he left.
3. Causal: it answers the question "¿por qué?" (why?).
Muy contentos con el resultado, los jugadores celebraron la victoria.
Being happy with the results, the players celebrated the victory.
4. Conditional: it answers the question "¿en qué caso?" (in what situation?).
¡Cuidado! Una vez abierto el paquete, no se puede devolver.
Be careful! Once the package has been opened, it can't be returned.
5. Concessive: it's equivalent to "aunque" (although).
Menos aplicado que los demás alumnos, se graduó el primero de la clase. (Aunque era menos aplicado que...)
Although he was less diligent than the rest of students, he graduated first in his class.