Spanish · C1 · Everyday language
Who Says They Did It? in Spanish
Helping children distinguish between a person's claims about their own past and objective facts is a key critical thinking skill. In Spanish, at a C1 level, we use specific structures to express when someone 'claims to have done' something, allowing us to attribute the statement without necessarily confirming its truth.
What you'll learn
- Distinguish between a subject's claim (pretender/afirmar) and verified truth.
- Master the use of perfect infinitives (haber + participle) to discuss claims about the past.
- Differentiate between reporting what someone says about themselves versus what others say about them.
Spanish phrases for who says they did it?
El creador del video afirma haber probado cada kit personalmente; ¿qué evidencia muestra?
The video creator claims to have tested every kit personally; what evidence do they show?
Uses 'afirma haber probado' for a professional claim.
Tu compañero afirma haber subido las diapositivas ayer, así que revisemos la carpeta compartida antes de culpar a nadie.
Your teammate claims to have uploaded the slides yesterday, so let's check the shared folder before blaming anyone.
Useful for school collaboration scenarios.
El jugador asegura no haber visto tu mensaje; no podemos saber solo por esa declaración si lo vio.
The player claims not to have seen your message; we cannot tell from that statement alone whether they saw it.
'Asegura no haber visto' is a strong way to express a personal claim of ignorance.
El ganador del concurso pretende haber construido el modelo sin ayuda, pero la entrevista no establece eso.
The competition winner claims to have built the model without help, but the interview does not establish that.
'Pretende' here implies a claim that might be disputed or unverified.
El organizador afirma haber informado a cada familia; aún vale la pena preguntar por nuestro correo perdido.
The organiser claims to have informed every family; our missing email is still worth asking about.
Standard attribution of a past action to a subject.
Tu amiga afirma haber devuelto el libro ya, así que tal vez deberíamos buscar en el estante del club juntos.
Your friend claims to have returned the book already, so perhaps we should look on the club shelf together.
Focuses on exploring claims collaboratively rather than accusing.
El reseñador de la aplicación afirma haber usado la app durante un mes; eso es una afirmación sobre el pasado, no un plan para probarla más tarde.
The app reviewer claims to have used the app for a month; that is a claim about the past, not a plan to test it later.
Distinguishes between past claims and future intent.
La capitana del equipo afirma haber revisado el marcador ella misma; ese es su propio relato, no algo que otra persona informó sobre ella.
The team captain claims to have checked the score herself; that is her own account, not something another person reported about her.
Clarifies the difference between self-attribution and hearsay.
Hear these phrases and practise them
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Try it free for 7 daysKey words
afirmar haber + [participle]
to claim to have [done]
The most neutral and standard way to express a subject's claim about their own past.
pretender haber + [participle]
to claim/purport to have [done]
Often carries a slight nuance that the claim is being questioned or lacks evidence.
asegurar
to assure/claim with certainty
Used when the subject is making a firm statement about their own actions.
relato
account/story
Refers to the subject's version of events.
The Perfect Infinitive for Claims
To express that someone claims to have done something in the past, Spanish uses a reporting verb (afirmar, pretender, asegurar) followed by the perfect infinitive (haber + past participle). This construction attributes the action directly to the subject.
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Structure | [Verb] + haber + [Participle] | Dice haber terminado (He says he has finished). |
| Negation | [Verb] + no + haber + [Participle] | Pretende no haber sabido (He claims not to have known). |
Subjective Claims vs. Hearsay
In Spanish, we must distinguish between what a subject says about themselves and what is reported by others (hearsay).
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Self-Claim | Dice haber... | Ella dice haber ganado (She says she [herself] won). |
| Hearsay | Se dice que... | Se dice que ella ganó (It is said that she won). |
More examples
¿Ella afirma haber enviado el correo?
Does she claim to have sent the email?
A direct question about a subject's claim.
Él pretende haber leído todo el libro en una noche.
He claims to have read the whole book in one night.
Using 'pretender' to suggest the claim might be an exaggeration.
No podemos asumir que miente, solo que afirma haberlo hecho.
We cannot assume they are lying, only that they claim to have done it.
Helpful phrase for teaching critical thinking.