Presente Perfecto: Already, Yet, Just (ya, todavía no, justo)
natural y preciso.
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Use these three words to show how recent an action is or if it happened sooner than expected.
- Use 'just' for things that happened a moment ago: 'I've just arrived.'
- Use 'already' for things that happened sooner than expected: 'I've already finished.'
- Use 'yet' for things you expect to happen soon: 'Have you finished yet?'
Overview
just) llegar'.already, yet y just—son marcadores de tiempo. No cambian el significado básico del Present Perfect, pero cambian la 'vibra'. Piensa en el Present Perfect como un puente entre el pasado y el presente.Just es para cosas que pasaron hace segundos. Already es para cosas que pasaron antes de lo esperado.Yet es para cosas que estamos esperando.How This Grammar Works
have/has + participio). La magia de already, yet y just es dónde los pones en la frase.Justyalreadysuelen ir en el medio.Yetes el rebelde: casi siempre va al final de la frase.
Formation Pattern
just (acciones muy recientes): Sujeto + have/has + just + Participio.
already (acciones terminadas antes de lo esperado): Sujeto + have/has + already + Participio.
yet en negativas: Sujeto + haven't/hasn't + Participio + yet.
yet en preguntas: Have/Has + Sujeto + Participio + yet?
just arrived. | Acabo de llegar.
already called. | Ella ya ha llamado.
yet. | Aún no hemos empezado.
yet? | ¿Ya han pagado ellos?
When To Use It
just para decir: '¡Acabo de ver al cantante en el puesto de tacos!'. Usas already cuando tu amigo dice 'deberíamos buscar sitio' y tú respondes '¡Ya he encontrado el lugar perfecto!'. Y usas yet cuando miras el horario: '¿Ha empezado ya la banda?'.
Common Mistakes
already my homework'. Correcto: 'I have already finished my homework'. Recuerda, already es el relleno del sándwich have + verbo.Contrast With Similar Patterns
just ate' usando el Past Simple. Es común en pelis, pero para exámenes, usa el Present Perfect.Quick FAQ
¿Puedo usar already en preguntas?
¡Sí! Para mostrar sorpresa. 'Have you already finished?' significa '¡Guau, qué rápido!'.
Placement of Just, Already, and Yet
| Adverb | Sentence Type | Position | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Just
|
Affirmative
|
Between have/has and V3
|
I have just finished.
|
|
Already
|
Affirmative
|
Between have/has and V3
|
She has already left.
|
|
Already
|
Interrogative
|
End of sentence (Surprise)
|
Have you finished already?
|
|
Yet
|
Negative
|
End of sentence
|
They haven't arrived yet.
|
|
Yet
|
Interrogative
|
End of sentence
|
Has he called yet?
|
Contractions with Adverbs
| Full Form | Contraction | With Adverb |
|---|---|---|
|
I have just
|
I've just
|
I've just eaten.
|
|
He has already
|
He's already
|
He's already gone.
|
|
We have not... yet
|
We haven't... yet
|
We haven't started yet.
|
Meanings
These adverbs modify the Present Perfect tense to provide specific context about the timing of an action relative to the present moment and the speaker's expectations.
Immediate Past (Just)
Indicates that an action was completed a very short time before the present moment.
“I've just seen a shooting star!”
“The bus has just left the station.”
Earlier than Expected (Already)
Used in affirmative sentences to show that something happened sooner than the speaker or listener anticipated.
“It's only 9 AM and I've already had three coffees.”
“They have already booked their flights for next summer.”
Expectation of Completion (Yet)
Used in negative sentences and questions to refer to an action that is expected to happen but hasn't happened until now.
“I haven't received the email yet.”
“Has the mail arrived yet?”
Reference Table
| Adverbio | Significado | Posición | Tipo de frase | Ejemplo |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Just
|
Muy recientemente
|
Entre auxiliar y PP
|
Afirmativa
|
I've just arrived.
|
|
Already
|
Antes de lo esperado
|
Entre auxiliar y PP (o al final)
|
Afirmativa/Preguntas
|
She's already finished.
|
|
Yet
|
Hasta este momento (esperado)
|
Final de frase
|
Negativa/Preguntas
|
Has he called yet?
|
|
Still
|
Continúa ocurriendo/siendo cierto
|
Entre sujeto y auxiliar (a menudo)
|
Afirmativa/Negativa
|
I still haven't eaten.
|
|
Ever
|
En algún momento antes de ahora
|
Entre auxiliar y PP
|
Preguntas
|
Have you ever been?
|
|
Never
|
En ningún momento antes de ahora
|
Entre auxiliar y PP
|
Afirmativa (significado negativo)
|
I've never seen it.
|
Espectro de formalidad
We have already completed the initial phase of the project. (Work/School)
I've already finished my homework. (Work/School)
Done it already! (Work/School)
Already did that, boss. (Work/School)
Adverbios del Present Perfect: Navegador de Tiempo
Just (Muy Reciente)
- I've just arrived. La llegada ocurrió hace momentos.
- She's just texted. Mensaje recibido justo ahora.
Already (Antes de lo Esperado)
- He's already eaten. Comer terminó antes de lo esperado.
- They've already seen it. Visto antes de este momento.
Yet (No ha Ocurrido, Esperado)
- Has it started yet? Pregunta sobre el inicio esperado.
- It hasn't arrived yet. Negativo: todavía esperando.
Tiempo Perfecto: Adverbios Comparados
Eligiendo tu Adverbio del Present Perfect
¿La acción es muy reciente (hace momentos)?
¿La acción ocurrió antes de ahora, posiblemente antes de lo esperado?
¿Es una pregunta o una declaración negativa sobre una acción esperada que aún no se ha completado?
Casos de Uso de Adverbios: Edición Present Perfect
Para Noticias Recientes
- • I've just seen the news.
- • She's just updated her profile.
Para Tareas Completadas
- • We've already eaten lunch.
- • He's already done his homework.
Para Acciones Pendientes
- • Has the movie started yet?
- • They haven't finished yet.
Para Velocidad Sorprendente
- • You've already finished?
- • She's already arrived!
Ejemplos por nivel
I have just eaten.
He has just arrived.
We have just started.
I have just seen the teacher.
I haven't finished my milk yet.
Have you cleaned your room yet?
She has already called me.
They have already left the party.
I've already seen this episode three times.
Has the train arrived yet? It's ten minutes late.
I've just heard the most amazing news!
We haven't decided on a wedding date yet.
I've already told him twice, but he won't listen.
The government hasn't passed the new law yet.
I've just been thinking about our conversation from yesterday.
Have you finished that book already? You only started it this morning!
The implications of the study have yet to be fully understood.
I had already reached the summit when the storm broke.
He's just the person I was looking for.
We haven't quite managed to secure the funding yet.
The project, having just received approval, is now in its nascent stages.
I've already had quite enough of your insolence.
Whether the market has bottomed out yet remains a matter of fierce debate.
She has just that touch of elegance that the role requires.
Fácil de confundir
Learners often use 'still' where 'already' is needed because both relate to time.
Both can be used in questions, but they change the meaning.
'Just' is used with Present Perfect, but 'just now' is usually used with Simple Past.
Errores comunes
I already have eaten.
I have already eaten.
I have eaten yet.
I have already eaten.
I not have finished yet.
I haven't finished yet.
I have just finish.
I have just finished.
Have you yet finished?
Have you finished yet?
I've just saw him.
I've just seen him.
She already has left.
She has already left.
I haven't already done it.
I haven't done it yet.
I've just finished it yesterday.
I finished it yesterday.
Has he yet arrived?
Has he arrived yet?
I yet haven't seen the results.
I haven't yet seen the results.
Patrones de oraciones
I have already ___.
Have you ___ yet?
I haven't ___ yet, but I'm going to.
He has just ___.
Real World Usage
I've just left the house, see you soon!
I have already managed several teams in my previous role.
Has the pizza arrived yet?
Just posted a new photo!
We haven't boarded the plane yet.
We've already hit our targets for this month.
La posición del adverbio importa
¡Nada de tiempos pasados específicos!
I went yesterday.Practica con preguntas
Have you finished your lunch yet?o
Has the movie started yet?Esta práctica activa te ayudará muchísimo.
La velocidad de la información
Escucha la sutil diferencia
implica que estás lleno ahora mismo.I already ate
implica que no necesitas comer de nuevo. ¡Pequeñas palabras, gran impacto en el significado!I've just arrived, I'm tired."
Smart Tips
Always use the Present Perfect with 'just'.
Use 'already' for the checkmarks and 'yet' for the empty boxes.
Move 'already' to the end of the question.
Use 'Not yet' as a polite, short answer.
Pronunciación
Contraction Stress
In 'I've just', the 've' is almost silent. The stress falls on 'just'.
Yet Intonation
In questions, 'yet' usually has a rising intonation.
Surprise with Already
You've finished ALREADY? ↗
Expresses shock that the action was so fast.
Memorízalo
Mnemotecnia
J.A.Y. - Just, Already, Yet. Just and Already stay inside the 'have' sandwich; Yet stays at the end of the line.
Asociación visual
Imagine a sandwich. The bread is 'Have' and the 'Past Participle'. 'Just' and 'Already' are the ham and cheese in the middle. 'Yet' is the napkin sitting on the table at the end.
Rhyme
Just and Already in the middle they stay, but Yet at the end is the only way.
Story
I just woke up. I've already brushed my teeth, but I haven't had my coffee yet. This sequence covers the morning routine of every English speaker.
Word Web
Desafío
Look at your to-do list. Say one thing you've already done, one thing you've just done, and one thing you haven't done yet.
Notas culturales
British speakers are very strict about using Present Perfect with 'just', 'already', and 'yet'. Using Simple Past ('I already ate') sounds very American to them.
In the US, it is extremely common to use the Simple Past with these adverbs, especially in casual speech.
Using 'already' in a workplace can signal efficiency, but using 'yet' in a question can sometimes sound impatient if not phrased politely.
The Present Perfect construction (have + participle) developed in Old English but became standard in Middle English. 'Already' comes from 'all' + 'ready' (fully prepared).
Inicios de conversación
Have you seen any good movies yet this year?
What's something you've just started learning?
Have you already planned your next vacation?
Is there a book everyone has read that you haven't read yet?
Temas para diario
Errores comunes
Test Yourself
My train hasn't arrived ___.
Elige la frase correcta:
Arrange the words in the correct order:
All words placed
Click words above to build the sentence
Score: /3
Ejercicios de practica
8 exercisesI haven't seen that movie ___, but I want to.
Which sentence is grammatically correct?
Find and fix the mistake:
I've just saw a ghost!
yet / they / arrived / haven't
Match: 1. Just, 2. Already, 3. Yet
A: Do you want some cake? B: No thanks, I've ___ had a big lunch.
You can use 'yet' in affirmative (positive) sentences.
I finished the report (sooner than expected).
Score: /8
Practice Bank
12 exercisesWe've ___ booked our flights for the summer trip!
They haven't decided the new schedule already.
Which sentence is correct?
Translate into English: 'Acabo de comer el almuerzo.'
Arrange these words into a sentence:
Match the sentence beginnings with their appropriate adverb and ending:
A: "Are you ready for the presentation?" B: "Almost! I've ___ printed the slides."
My friend hasn't returned my text just.
Which sentence is correct?
Translate: '¿Todavía no has decidido dónde ir de vacaciones?'
Arrange these words into a sentence:
Match the adverb with its primary function:
Score: /12
Preguntas frecuentes (8)
Yes! Use it when you are surprised. `Have you finished already?` means 'Wow, that was fast!'
`Just` is much more immediate (seconds or minutes ago). `Recently` can mean days or weeks ago.
Only as a conjunction meaning 'but' (e.g., `Yet, he didn't give up`). As a time marker, it stays at the end.
In British English, yes. In American English, it's perfectly fine. For exams, use `I've just done it`.
Because `yet` implies that the action will happen in the future, while `already` implies it happened in the past.
No, `just` as a time marker for 'a moment ago' is only for past or perfect tenses.
In the Simple Past, it goes before the verb: `I already ate`.
99% of the time, yes. In very formal English, you might see `I have not yet seen it`, but it's rare.
Scaffolded Practice
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Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
ya / todavía no
English 'already' cannot mean 'now'.
déjà / pas encore
French uses a specific verb (venir) to express 'just'.
schon / noch nicht
German 'noch' is more versatile than English 'yet'.
mou / mada
Japanese uses 'mada' with the negative form of the verb to mean 'not yet'.
qad / lamma
Arabic uses particles rather than adverbs in a 'have' sandwich.
yǐjīng / hái méiyǒu
Chinese markers are placed before the verb, never at the end.
Learning Path
Prerequisites
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