The verb to speak · Conjugation
Present Perfect of speak
The answer: have / has spoken
B1
A past action with a link to the present.
Quick answer
The Present Perfect of the verb to speak is have / has spoken.
Example: I have already spoken English.
Full conjugation in the Present Perfect
| Pronoun | Form | Contraction |
|---|---|---|
| I | have spoken | I've spoken |
| You | have spoken | You've spoken |
| He / She / It | has spoken | He's / She's / It's spoken |
| We | have spoken | We've spoken |
| You (pl.) | have spoken | You've spoken |
| They | have spoken | They've spoken |
Common mistakes to avoid
1. I have seen him yesterday ❌
Do not use the Present Perfect with a finished time (yesterday, last week, in 2020, two days ago). Use the Past Simple: I saw him yesterday. With speak, use spoke with a finished time and have spoken without one.
2. I live here since 2020 ❌
Some situations started in the past and are still true now. For them, use the Present Perfect: I have lived here since 2020, I have known her for three years. Use since + a starting point (since Monday, since 2020). Use for + a length of time (for two weeks, for a long time).
3. I have spoke ❌
After have or has, use the past participle, not the Past Simple: I have spoken. The Past Simple of speak is spoke, and the past participle is spoken. Learn the three forms together: speak, spoke, spoken.
Practice quiz
Going further
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Frequently asked questions
How do you conjugate speak in the Present Perfect?+
Use have or has + the past participle spoken. Use has with he, she and it. Use have with I, you, we and they: I have spoken, she has spoken. Short forms: I've spoken, she's spoken.
What is the past participle of speak?+
The past participle of speak is spoken. You use it after have, has and had. It is different from the Past Simple. Learn the three forms together: speak, spoke, spoken.
When do you use the Present Perfect of speak?+
Use it for a past action that is connected to now, with no exact time. Use it for experiences in your life: Have you ever spoken…? Use it for a recent action with a result now, often with just: I have just spoken… Use it also for a situation that started in the past and continues: I have lived here since 2020.
What is the difference between I spoke and I have spoken?+
I spoke (Past Simple) goes with a finished time: yesterday, last week, in 2020, two days ago. I have spoken (Present Perfect) has no finished time, and the result is important now. Signal words: ever, never, already, just, yet.
How do you make the negative and the question of speak in the Present Perfect?+
Negative: I haven't spoken, she hasn't spoken. Question: put have or has before the subject: Have you spoken…?, Has she spoken…? The word yet often goes at the end of a negative or a question: Have you finished yet?
Related pages: speak Present Perfect
Pages on a similar topic or with a similar use, so you can keep exploring.
Updated on 12 November 2026 by the Big Challenge teaching team. Every year, more than 500,000 students across Europe take part in our English contest, created in 1999. Our teaching approach →
The Big Challenge · Updated on 12 November 2026 · Source: www.thebigchallenge.com/bl/academy/learn-english/verbs/speak/present-perfect
© The Big Challenge. Copying allowed for classroom use. Every year, more than 500,000 students across Europe take part in our English contest, created in 1999.
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More forms of the verb to speak are coming soon.