Compound Tenses

[chileno]

Originally Posted by laepelba

My dislike is just because I don't see such a huge difference between "estar + gerundio" and "haber + participio".

Given that I DO understand ALL of these explanations, and that I CAN accept them, I will choose to live with my "dislike" of this one tiny point, because I KNOW that it will NOT hamper my ability to learn to speak Spanish. Thanks for all of your contributions!!

I am sorry now, am I missing something here?

Your dislikes :

Estoy comiendo = I am eating

He comido = I have eaten

Again, am I missing something with the grammar terms?

I know Rusty's gerund.....

uh uh, too late... I got him started...

[irmamar]

Originally Posted by laepelba

My dislike is just because I don't see such a huge difference between "estar + gerundio" and "haber + participio".

Given that I DO understand ALL of these explanations, and that I CAN accept them, I will choose to live with my "dislike" of this one tiny point, because I KNOW that it will NOT hamper my ability to learn to speak Spanish. Thanks for all of your contributions!!

Usually I find your posts very difficult to read, since almost always there are some word(s) that I don't understand. "Hamper" is the word in this one. So, I've just learnt a new word. I don't understand your posts, but working with them, at last I am able to. So, at the same time that I try to understand, I learn something. That's the basis for a good learning: understanding.

[laepelba]

Originally Posted by chileno

I sorry now, am I missing something here?

Your dislikes :

Estoy comiendo = I am eating

He comido = I have eaten

Again, am I missing something with the grammar terms?

I know Rusty's gerund.....

uh uh, too late... I got him started...

No, you're not missing anything. If you look at my original question, I have issues with the use of the word "compound" ONLY with the tenses that use "haber + participio". By my idea of the word "compound", it should also include "estar + gerundio". But, as it has been explained in this thread (over and over again), it is simply not so. My "dislike" is the IL-logic of the use of the word "compound" when to me there isn't such a difference between the two constructions. That's all. I want "compound" to include any and all verb constructions that use more than one verb element. But they don't. End of story. I didn't make the rules.

Originally Posted by irmamar

Usually I find your posts very difficult to read, since almost always there are some word(s) that I don't understand. "Hamper" is the word in this one. So, I've just learnt a new word. I don't understand your posts, but working with them, at last I am able to. So, at the same time that I try to understand, I learn something. That's the basis for a good learning: understanding.

Wow, Irma - but your English is SO good, it never occurred to me that there would be things that you don't understand. "Hamper" is a good word. I don't know if a lot of people use it, but I like it, so I use it a lot. Thank you SO much for going out of your way, so often (!!), to understand my posts!! Your input has directly helped my learning of Spanish SO MUCH!!

[Perikles]

Originally Posted by laepelba

I have issues with the use of the word "compound" ONLY with the tenses that use "haber + participio".

Just having a look at a few Google hits for "compound verbs Spanish" tells me that this expression is used exclusively for "haber + participio". That seems to me to be the definition of compound (although I find it arbitrary and annoying). My grammar book defines "more than one word to express a verb form" as periphrastic, so that compound verbs are a subset of periphrastic ones. Periphrastic ones include

Estar + gerund
Llear + gerund
Tener + past participle

and presumably also things like the passive voice with estar.

So I think that when you think compound you should be thinking periphrastic for those forms which trouble you. It is just a matter of definition.

[irmamar]

Originally Posted by laepelba

Wow, Irma - but your English is SO good, it never occurred to me that there would be things that you don't understand. "Hamper" is a good word. I don't know if a lot of people use it, but I like it, so I use it a lot. Thank you SO much for going out of your way, so often (!!), to understand my posts!! Your input has directly helped my learning of Spanish SO MUCH!!

Thanks for the compliment, but I think that your English is really good (not only because you are a native), but for the job you give me when I'm reading your posts . For instance, today I have had to look up for the word "banter". I would have used "joke" instead.

Originally Posted by Perikles

Just having a look at a few Google hits for "compound verbs Spanish" tells me that this expression is used exclusively for "haber + participio". That seems to me to be the definition of compound (although I find it arbitrary and annoying). My grammar book defines "more than one word to express a verb form" as periphrastic, so that compound verbs are a subset of periphrastic ones. Periphrastic ones include

Estar + gerund
Llear + gerund
Tener + past participle

and presumably also things like the passive voice with estar.

So I think that when you think compound you should be thinking periphrastic for those forms which trouble you. It is just a matter of definition.

Yes, that's what I tried to say (although I think I didn't get it ). And what you call "periphrastic" are those "perífrasis verbales". I tried to give an explanation of the reason, but I realise that I wasn't able to.

[laepelba]

Originally Posted by irmamar

Yes, that's what I tried to say (although I think I didn't get it ). And what you call "periphrastic" are those "perífrasis verbales". I tried to give an explanation of the reason, but I realise that I wasn't able to.

That IS what you said ... and I understood it when you explained ... and I understand it a little better now. Like I said, it makes sense to me. I simply dislike it.

[Perikles]

Originally Posted by irmamar

Yes, that's what I tried to say (although I think I didn't get it ). And what you call "periphrastic" are those "perífrasis verbales". I tried to give an explanation of the reason, but I realise that I wasn't able to.

Yes you were quite able, I was just confirming what you said because I wasn't sure either.

[irmamar]

¡Ah, bueno!, ¡menos mal!