References for: "haber" as infinitive + past participle

[mcurtin]

I am looking for an explanation re the grammar of or links to grammar sites which discuss this type of phrasal or sentence construction:

conjugated verb + haber + past participle

"Me podias haber dicho" (I think "the bible" translates this as : "You could have told me")

Also the grammatical rules governing a use such as this, if it is possible:

"Having seen the poverty in the city, he decided..."

Is this the correct Spanish:

"Haber visto la pobreza en la ciudad, decidio..."

Many thanks

[Pepino]

"Having seen the poverty in the city, he decided..."

Is this the correct Spanish:

"Haber visto la pobreza en la ciudad, decidio..."

This is a wild guess based on a hunch. For some reason, when I read your version of this, it just seems to start with a jolt to the grammar part of my brain. You know what I mean?

I´m wondering if it just needs a "De" or maybe a "Después de" putting at the start to make....

"Después de haber visto la pobreza en la ciudad, decidió..."

It doesn´t hurt my ears so much like that, but as I say, it´s a wild guess.

I´ll leave the floor to the experts now ;)

[Beckett]

Haber visto (having seen...) is correct in your sentence and the grammar equation you wrote "conjugated verb + haber + past participle" is also correct. I'm not sure how much more you need in terms of explanation because that's the rule and it is what it is. But here are two links to Spanish grammar sites:

www.timandangela.org.uk/spanish/ (http://www.timandangela.org.uk/spanish/)
www.bowdoin.edu/~eyepes/newgr/ (http://www.bowdoin.edu/%7Eeyepes/newgr/)

Good luck!

[Marina]

Also the grammatical rules governing a use such as this, if it is possible:

"Having seen the poverty in the city, he decided..."

Is this the correct Spanish:

"Haber visto la pobreza en la ciudad, decidio..."

Many thanks

I'm sorry to disagree with Beckett, as Pepino I would say it is incorrect. His correction is perfect, as well as it would be:

"Habiendo visto la pobreza de la ciudad, decidió..."

[Pepino]

...as Pepino I would say it is incorrect. His correction is perfect...

Quickly, somebody pass me my pills! :o

Maybe I really am absorbing more than I dare let myself believe. Thanks for giving my attempt the thumbs up Marina!! Nice way to start the weekend :)

[EnergyRecruitment]

The Spanish curriculum at Ring Mountain Day School encourages language proficiency in students beginning in the Primary/elementary grades. Our program not only develops immediate language skills but also equips students with useful, life long language acquisition strategies. Our objectives are to develop, reinforce, and refine communicative competency in listening, speaking, reading, writing and culture. Trough essentially an inductive approach, students gain an intuitive understanding of how the language is acquired and how they can use this knowledge to express themselves linguistically.

[greytop]

The Spanish curriculum at Ring Mountain Day School encourages language proficiency in students beginning in the Primary/elementary grades. Our program not only develops immediate language skills but also equips students with useful, life long language acquisition strategies. Our objectives are to develop, reinforce, and refine communicative competency in listening, speaking, reading, writing and culture. Through essentially an inductive approach, students gain an intuitive understanding of how the language is acquired and how they can use this knowledge to express themselves linguistically.If they come out of it speaking English like that, good luck to them!:eek: