Level 2 — Elementary (CEFR: A2)
Unit 7 — Verb Group 3: -IR Verbs
Lesson 11 — Present Perfect with -IR Verbs
Lesson Overview
Level: 2 — Elementary Unit: 7 — Verb Group 3: -IR Verbs Lesson: 11 of 14 Estimated Time: 60–75 minutes
What this lesson covers:
- -IR past participle formation: stem + -ido
- Irregular past participles from -IR verbs: escrito, abierto, dicho, muerto, ido
- The present perfect structure reviewed with -IR verbs
- The curriculum key sentences applied and extended
- Ministry sentences using each irregular participle
-IR Past Participle Formation
The regular past participle of -IR verbs is formed by removing -ir and adding -ido:
vivir → viv- + -ido = vivido recibir → recib- + -ido = recibido compartir → compart- + -ido = compartido decidir → decid- + -ido = decidido cumplir → cumpl- + -ido = cumplido sufrir → sufr- + -ido = sufrido construir → construido (spelled construido — the i takes accent: construído in older spelling, but modern RAE: construido) sentir → sentido seguir → seguido servir → servido pedir → pedido
Irregular Past Participles: The Key -IR Set
Five -IR verbs have irregular past participles that must be memorized:
| Verb | Regular expectation | Irregular participle |
|---|---|---|
| escribir | escribido | escrito |
| abrir | abrido | abierto |
| decir | decido | dicho |
| morir | morido | muerto |
| ir | ido | ido (actually regular) |
Note on ir: its participle ido is regular in form. It is listed here because students sometimes expect it to be irregular — it is not. He ido = “I have gone.”
The four truly irregular ones: escrito, abierto, dicho, muerto. These must be memorized as whole units.
Memory prompt: All four follow a compression pattern — they are shorter, more distinctive than the regular form would be. Escribido → escrito (drops syllables). Morido → muerto (vowel change). Decido → dicho (complete restructuring). Abrido → abierto (vowel insertion).
Present Perfect with -IR Verbs
Structure: haber (present) + past participle
he vivido — I have lived has seguido — you have followed ha dicho — he/she has said hemos servido — we have served han sufrido — they have suffered
The Curriculum Key Sentences
He vivido aquí por diez años.
— I have lived here for ten years.
Open time frame: ten years of living that continues into the present. The present perfect captures ongoing duration. This exact sentence type — personal history with duration — is high frequency in ministry introductions and community relationships.
Variations: He vivido para Cristo desde el día de mi conversión. — I have lived for Christ since the day of my conversion. Ha vivido en esa comunidad toda su vida y conoce a todos. — He has lived in that community his whole life and knows everyone. Hemos vivido la fidelidad de Dios en cada temporada. — We have lived God’s faithfulness in every season. ¿Cuánto tiempo has vivido en este país? — How long have you lived in this country?
Cristo ha abierto el camino.
— Christ has opened the way.
Abierto — irregular participle of abrir. The action of opening is completed in the past but its result — the opened way — is present and ongoing. This is the paradigmatic present-perfect use: past action with present relevance.
This sentence appears in worship, preaching, and proclamation. The interpreter who does not know abierto will be thrown by it in live speech.
Variations: Cristo ha abierto las puertas del cielo para todos los que creen. — Christ has opened the doors of heaven for all who believe. Dios ha abierto oportunidades que nosotros nunca hubiéramos podido crear. — God has opened opportunities that we could never have created. ¿Has abierto tu corazón completamente a lo que Dios quiere hacer? — Have you fully opened your heart to what God wants to do?
Han ido a la misión.
— They have gone on mission.
Ido — regular participle of ir. Open time frame: the going has happened and is relevant to the present moment (they are currently on mission, or they have the experience). This sentence appears in reports, prayer requests, and mission updates.
Variations: Han ido a proclamar el evangelio en lugares donde no había luz. — They have gone to proclaim the gospel in places where there was no light. ¿Has ido alguna vez al campo misionero? — Have you ever gone to the mission field? Hemos ido y regresado con el corazón transformado. — We have gone and returned with transformed hearts.
Ministry Sentences: All Four Irregular Participles
escrito (from escribir)
La Biblia ha escrito la historia de la redención desde el principio. — The Bible has written the story of redemption from the beginning. Pablo ha escrito sobre la gracia más que cualquier otro autor bíblico. — Paul has written about grace more than any other biblical author. ¿Has escrito tu testimonio para compartirlo con tu familia? — Have you written your testimony to share with your family? Hemos escrito la visión del ministerio para que todos la conozcan. — We have written the ministry’s vision so that everyone knows it.
abierto (from abrir)
Cristo ha abierto el camino al Padre. — Christ has opened the way to the Father. El Espíritu Santo ha abierto mis ojos para entender la Escritura. — The Holy Spirit has opened my eyes to understand Scripture. ¿Has abierto tu vida a la corrección de Dios? — Have you opened your life to God’s correction? Hemos abierto nuevas puertas de ministerio en esa región. — We have opened new doors of ministry in that region.
dicho (from decir)
Lo que Cristo ha dicho es para siempre. — What Christ has said stands forever. El profeta ha dicho la verdad con valentía. — The prophet has spoken the truth with courage. ¿Qué has dicho sobre esta situación en oración? — What have you said about this situation in prayer? Hemos dicho lo que Dios puso en nuestros corazones. — We have said what God placed in our hearts. Nunca han dicho una palabra de gratitud. — They have never said a word of gratitude.
muerto (from morir)
Cristo ha muerto y ha resucitado — esa es nuestra fe. — Christ has died and has risen — that is our faith. Muchos mártires han muerto por no negar el nombre de Jesús. — Many martyrs have died for refusing to deny the name of Jesus. He muerto a mi antigua manera de vivir. — I have died to my old way of living. Hemos muerto al pecado y resucitado a nueva vida en Cristo. — We have died to sin and risen to new life in Christ.
Present Perfect: Use Cases in Ministry
The present perfect connects past action to present moment. In ministry speech, these are the key uses:
Life experience (ever/never): ¿Has ido al campo misionero? — Have you ever gone to the mission field? Nunca he sufrido tanto como en esa misión. — I have never suffered as much as on that mission.
Duration from past to present: He vivido aquí por diez años. — I have lived here for ten years. Ha servido en esta iglesia desde que tenía veinte años. — She has served in this church since she was twenty.
Past action with present-moment relevance: Cristo ha abierto el camino. — Christ has opened the way (and the way remains open). Han ido a la misión. — They have gone on mission (and they are there / we sense their presence).
Practice Exercises
Exercise 1 — Irregular Participle Production
Without looking, produce the irregular past participle for each verb:
escribir, abrir, decir, morir, ir
Answers: escrito, abierto, dicho, muerto, ido
Exercise 2 — Present Perfect Construction
Build present perfect sentences:
- yo / vivir / para Cristo → He vivido para Cristo.
- Cristo / abrir / el camino → Cristo ha abierto el camino.
- nosotros / ir / a la misión → Hemos ido a la misión.
- el pastor / decir / la verdad → El pastor ha dicho la verdad.
- muchos / morir / por la fe → Muchos han muerto por la fe.
- ella / escribir / su testimonio → Ella ha escrito su testimonio.
- yo / seguir / a Cristo → He seguido a Cristo.
- ellos / servir / fielmente → Han servido fielmente.
Exercise 3 — Worship and Proclamation Language
The irregular participles appear constantly in worship and proclamation. Memorize and produce these:
- Cristo ha muerto. Cristo ha resucitado. Cristo volverá.
- Dios ha abierto las puertas — nadie las puede cerrar.
- Lo que el Señor ha dicho se cumplirá.
- He vivido para ver la fidelidad de Dios.
- Han ido y han regresado con el reino de Dios.
Exercise 4 — Regular -IR Participle Practice
Produce present perfect sentences using regular -IR participles with different subjects:
recibir, compartir, decidir, cumplir, sentir, sufrir, seguir
Key Takeaways for This Lesson
Before moving to Lesson 12:
- -IR past participle rule: stem + -ido (e.g., vivido, servido, seguido)
- The four irregular -IR participles: escrito, abierto, dicho, muerto
- Ir participle: ido (regular — do not be thrown by it)
- The curriculum key sentences: He vivido aquí por diez años / Cristo ha abierto el camino / Han ido a la misión
- The present perfect connects past completion to present relevance — know all three use cases (experience, duration, present-relevance)
Daily Practice
The four irregular -IR participles as a daily recall sequence:
escrito — abierto — dicho — muerto
Say the sequence. Then produce one present perfect sentence with each:
He escrito… / Cristo ha abierto… / El Señor ha dicho… / Cristo ha muerto…
This four-sentence sequence takes under 90 seconds and builds the irregular participle reflex that live interpretation demands.