Spanish · B2 · Family moment
Giving sources their fair credit in Spanish
Teaching children the value of academic integrity involves expressing actions completed in the past. In Spanish, we use the compound infinitive (haber + past participle) to indicate that an action happened prior to the main verb, especially when the subject remains the same.
What you'll learn
- Use the perfect infinitive 'haber + participio' to refer to past actions.
- Express feelings of relief, regret, or belief regarding research steps.
- Master vocabulary related to citations and source attribution.
Spanish phrases for giving sources their fair credit
Creo haber copiado esa oración demasiado literalmente.
I think I have copied that sentence too closely.
Uses 'creo haber' to express a belief about a past action.
Me alegro de haber encontrado el artículo original.
I am glad to have found the original article.
Note the preposition 'de' after 'alegrarse' before the infinitive.
¿Crees haber nombrado todas las fuentes?
Do you believe you have named every source?
A direct way to ask if a past task is complete.
Lamento haber borrado el número de página.
I regret having deleted the page number.
'Lamentar' is followed directly by the compound infinitive.
Siento alivio de haber verificado quién escribió esto.
I am relieved to have checked who wrote this.
'Siento alivio de' expresses the emotional state regarding the past check.
Creo haber encontrado esa afirmación antes.
I think I have come across that claim before.
'Encontrado' is used here for 'come across'.
Me complace haber explicado la idea con mis propias palabras.
I am pleased to have explained the idea in my own words.
'Con mis propias palabras' is the natural way to say 'in my own words'.
Espero haber aclarado la diferencia entre hecho y opinión.
I hope I have made the difference between fact and opinion clear.
'Aclarar' means to make clear or clarify.
Hear these phrases and practise them
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Try it free for 7 daysKey words
fuente
source
Used in both liquid and academic contexts.
cita
citation / quote
Also means an 'appointment' or 'date' in other contexts.
derechos de autor
copyright
Literally 'rights of the author'.
comprobar
to check / verify
Essential for research accuracy.
The Perfect Infinitive (Infinitivo Compuesto)
To express an action that occurred before the main verb, Spanish uses 'haber' + the past participle. This is equivalent to 'having [done]' or 'to have [done]' in English. It is commonly used after verbs of emotion, opinion, or hope when the subject does not change.
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Structure | Haber + Participio (-ado/-ido) | Haber dicho (to have said) |
| After Prepositions | de/por/tras + Haber + Participio | Gracias por haber ayudado (Thank you for having helped) |
| With Verbs of Belief | Creer/Pensar + Haber + Participio | Pienso haber terminado (I think I have finished) |
More examples
Es importante haber anotado la fecha de consulta.
It is important to have noted the access date.
Uses an impersonal expression with the perfect infinitive.
Parece haber entendido cómo citar correctamente.
He/She seems to have understood how to cite correctly.
The main verb 'parece' is in the present, while 'haber entendido' is in the past.