The verb to try · Conjugation
Present Perfect of try
The answer: have / has tried
B1
A past action with a link to the present.
Quick answer
The Present Perfect of the verb to try is have / has tried.
Example: I have already tried a new recipe.
Full conjugation in the Present Perfect
| Pronoun | Form | Contraction |
|---|---|---|
| I | have tried | I've tried |
| You | have tried | You've tried |
| He / She / It | has tried | He's / She's / It's tried |
| We | have tried | We've tried |
| You (pl.) | have tried | You've tried |
| They | have tried | They've tried |
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 try, use tried with a finished time and have tried 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. He have tried ❌
With he, she and it, use has, not have: he has tried, my friend has tried. The short form is he's tried. Careful: here 's means has, not is.
Practice quiz
Going further
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Frequently asked questions
How do you conjugate try in the Present Perfect?+
Use have or has + the past participle tried. Use has with he, she and it. Use have with I, you, we and they: I have tried, she has tried. Short forms: I've tried, she's tried.
What is the past participle of try?+
The past participle of try is tried. You use it after have, has and had. The verb try is regular, so it is the same as the Past Simple: tried.
When do you use the Present Perfect of try?+
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 tried…? Use it for a recent action with a result now, often with just: I have just tried… 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 tried and I have tried?+
I tried (Past Simple) goes with a finished time: yesterday, last week, in 2020, two days ago. I have tried (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 try in the Present Perfect?+
Negative: I haven't tried, she hasn't tried. Question: put have or has before the subject: Have you tried…?, Has she tried…? The word yet often goes at the end of a negative or a question: Have you finished yet?
Related pages: try 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/try/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 try are coming soon.