Present Perfect – Answering Questions
How to Answer Questions in the Present Perfect
When you answer a present perfect question, you usually give a short answer.
Structure:
Yes, + subject + have / has.
No, + subject + haven’t / hasn’t.
1. Yes / No Answers
Have you finished your homework?
→ Yes, I have.
[Hast du deine Hausaufgaben fertig gemacht? – Ja, habe ich.]
→ Yes, I have.
[Hast du deine Hausaufgaben fertig gemacht? – Ja, habe ich.]
Has she arrived?
→ No, she hasn’t.
[Ist sie angekommen? – Nein, ist sie nicht.]
→ No, she hasn’t.
[Ist sie angekommen? – Nein, ist sie nicht.]
Have they seen this film?
→ Yes, they have.
[Haben sie diesen Film gesehen? – Ja, haben sie.]
→ Yes, they have.
[Haben sie diesen Film gesehen? – Ja, haben sie.]
2. Important Rule
Do NOT use did in present perfect answers.
❌ Yes, I did.
✅ Yes, I have.
[Ja, habe ich.]
✅ Yes, I have.
[Ja, habe ich.]
❌ No, she didn’t.
✅ No, she hasn’t.
[Nein, hat sie nicht.]
✅ No, she hasn’t.
[Nein, hat sie nicht.]
3. Long Answers (Optional)
You can also give a longer answer:
Have you finished your homework?
→ Yes, I have finished it.
[Ja, ich habe es fertig gemacht.]
→ Yes, I have finished it.
[Ja, ich habe es fertig gemacht.]
Has she eaten?
→ No, she hasn’t eaten yet.
[Nein, sie hat noch nicht gegessen.]
→ No, she hasn’t eaten yet.
[Nein, sie hat noch nicht gegessen.]
4. Common Signal Words
These words are often used when answering:
already – something is finished
[schon]
yet – in questions and negatives
[noch]
just – very recently
[gerade]
ever / never – life experience
[jemals / nie]