Have vs. Had

Question

In view of the "TIP" in this lesson, would the translation of the last of the examples (¿Ustedes acaban de hablar con el jefe?) be better as: HAD you just spoken to the boss? rather than; HAVE you just spoken to the boss?

Silvia Piriz · Accepted Answer

Hola Gerald R.
Great observation! The construction "acabar de + infinitivo" translates to 'to have just done something', which in English typically aligns with the present perfect ('have just spoken') rather than the past perfect ('had just spoken').

"¿Ustedes acaban de hablar con el jefe?" → 'Have you just spoken to the boss?' (Present perfect, because the action happened very recently and still has relevance.)
If the sentence were "¿Ustedes acababan de hablar con el jefe?" (Imperfect), then the translation 'Had you just spoken to the boss?' would be correct, since it refers to a past moment before another past event.

So, the current translation 'Have you just spoken to the boss?' is accurate given the original Spanish sentence.
Hope this helps!
Saludos
Silvia

Gerald Roberts · Answer

Yes, of course, I see it.  I mistook "acaban" for "acababan", thinking it ("acaban") was the preterito imperfecto, in stead of the presente indicativo. Mil gracias.