Spanish · C1 · Everyday language
Who Says They Put It Away? in Spanish
This guide explores how to express that someone claims to have done something, often to distance oneself from the truth of the statement. In Spanish, at a C1 level, we use verbs like 'asegurar' or 'pretender' followed by a perfect infinitive to denote these self-attributed claims about past actions.
What you'll learn
- Distinguish between a subject's own claim and an objective fact.
- Correctiously use the perfect infinitive (haber + participle) after reporting verbs.
- Learn to express skepticism or neutral reporting without direct accusation.
Spanish phrases for who says they put it away?
Ben asegura haber guardado ya la pelota; miremos en la caja del equipo.
Ben claims to have put the ball away already; let's look in the equipment box.
Using 'asegurar haber' implies Ben is the source of the claim.
Mia pretende haberte devuelto el lápiz ayer; tal vez esté en otro bolsillo.
Mia claims to have returned your pencil yesterday; perhaps it is in another pocket.
'Pretender haber' often suggests a claim that might be disputed or unverified.
El jugador asegura haber marcado antes del silbatazo; podemos preguntarle al entrenador qué pasó.
The player claims to have scored before the whistle; we can ask the coach what happened.
'Marcar' is commonly used for scoring in sports.
Tu amiga asegura haber leído ya todo el libro; podrías preguntarle qué parte le gustó más.
Your friend claims to have read the whole book already; you could ask which part she liked best.
Natural structure for reporting a self-attributed achievement.
Leo asegura haber entregado la invitación; comprobemos si el profesor la recibió.
Leo claims to have handed in the invitation; let's check whether the teacher received it.
'Entregar' is the standard verb for handing something in.
El niño del cuento asegura no haber sabido nada de la puerta secreta; ¿crees su explicación?
The child in the story claims not to have known about the secret door; do you believe his explanation?
Note the placement of 'no' before 'haber' for negative claims.
Ella asegura haber hecho ya su maleta de natación; está describiendo algo que dice haber hecho, no algo que planea hacer.
Ella claims to have packed her swimming things already; she is describing something she says she has done, not something she plans to do.
Contrast between past completion ('haber hecho') and future intent.
Tom mismo asegura haber encontrado la moneda perdida; eso es diferente a que alguien más diga que la encontró.
Tom himself claims to have found the missing coin; that is different from somebody else saying he found it.
The focus is on the subject's own account (subjective claim).
Hear these phrases and practise them
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Try it free for 7 daysKey words
asegurar
to claim / to assure
Used here to report a statement the speaker is not personally vouching for.
pretender
to claim / to purport
Often carries a nuance that the claim might not be entirely accurate.
haber + participio
to have [done something]
This is the perfect infinitive, used to refer to actions completed prior to the main verb.
The Perfect Infinitive for Self-Attributed Claims
To express that someone 'claims to have' done something, Spanish uses a reporting verb (like asegurar, pretender, or afirmar) followed by the perfect infinitive (haber + past participle). This construction focuses on the subject's own account of their past behavior.
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Claiming a past action | Verbo + haber + participio | Dice haber terminado. |
| Negative claim | Verbo + no + haber + participio | Asegura no haber visto nada. |
More examples
Él afirma haber ganado el premio.
He claims to have won the prize.
A formal way to present a self-reported success.
No podemos culparla si ella asegura haber cerrado la puerta.
We cannot blame her if she claims to have closed the door.
Shows the use of these structures to maintain neutrality.