perfective tense
- noun
- /pərˈfɛktɪv tɛns/
- Specialized
:
tiempo perfectivo
- In Russian, the perfective tense is used to emphasize the completion of an action.
Examples
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The perfective tense contrasts with the imperfective aspect in describing ongoing versus finished actions.
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The perfective tense indicates completed actions.
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She explained how the perfective tense changes the meaning of verbs in that language.
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In English, the perfective tense is often formed with 'have'.
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In Russian, the perfective tense is used to emphasize the completion of an action.
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The perfective tense contrasts with the imperfective aspect to indicate whether an action is finished or ongoing.
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In English, the perfective tense particularly highlights actions that have been completed.
Synonyms
3
7.7
A verb tense that shows an action finished before now or before another action
1
4.2
A verb form that shows an action finished before now or another event
A way to show that a verb describes a finished action
A verb form that shows an action is finished
A verb form that shows an action is finished
A verb form that shows an action is finished
A word or ending that shows an action is finished
Antonyms
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is directly derivable from combining 'perfective' (showing completed actions) with 'tense' (verb form indicating time), so a B1 learner who knows both constituent definitions can infer that this refers to a verb form marking completed actions. This is a common cross-linguistic grammatical label, which reinforces predictability and immediate comprehensibility for learners familiar with the terms.
Etymology
Perfective tense may come from the idea of 'perfect' meaning finished or complete. Think of a finished painting: the work is complete and you can see the final result, so this tense shows an action as done and focuses on the result. That's why it means 'an action that has been completed'.