pretérito vs presente

Question

Just a terminology question, but why is this called "El Pretérito Perfecto Subjuntivo" instead of "El Presente Perfecto Subjuntivo"? I thought pretérito meant past tense? (It seems to mean past tense in the context of Pretérito Indefinido and Pretérito Imperfecto.)

Inma Sánchez · Answer

Hola R,in Spanish the tense using haber in the present plus the past participle (he ido, has venido, hemos comprado...) is considered a "past" tense, not a present tense. It is referring to actions that have already started (before the present time), this is why it is part of the "preterite" group; I imagine this is why the word "present" is not used in its name. Saludos

R Z · Answer

Then why is the English translation of the tense "present perfect subjunctive"?

Douglas Laing · Answer

Because it's: has + past Participle It should be presente perfecto, as has is in the present tense. As would a tense using haya. Haya is present tense. This shouldn't be pretérito perfecto, but it is not the first time I heard it called this.

había would be "had" (past tense)