Modales en pasado (should have, could have…)
Cómo usar los modales en pasado en inglés (modal + have + participio): should have, could have, would have, must have, might have y can't have, con ejemplos.
En resumen
- Estructura: modal + have + participio: I should have called.
- Should have = arrepentimiento o crítica; could have = posibilidad no aprovechada.
- Must have = deducción segura sobre el pasado; can't have = imposible que haya pasado.
Cada modal#
| Modal | Significado | Ejemplo |
|---|---|---|
| should have | debería haber (arrepentimiento, crítica) | I should have prepared more. |
| shouldn't have | no debería haber | You shouldn't have said that. |
| could have | podría haber (no pasó) | We could have won. |
| would have | habría (condicional) | I would have helped if you had asked. |
| must have | debe haber (casi seguro) | She must have forgotten. |
| might / may have | puede que haya | He might have missed the bus. |
| can't / couldn't have | es imposible que haya | They can't have finished already. |
En el trabajo#
We should have tested it before the launch.
Deberíamos haberlo probado antes del lanzamiento.
The email must have gone to spam.
El correo debió irse a spam.
It could have been worse.
Pudo haber sido peor.
Errores comunes#
I should of called.
I should have called.
Es have, no of.
She must have forget.
She must have forgotten.
Participio.
I should called you.
I should have called you.
Falta have.
Practica
Elige la opción correcta. Te mostramos la explicación al instante.
1.«Debí haber estudiado más»
2.He's not here. He ___ left early. (casi seguro)
3.You ___ told me! (crítica)
4.«Es imposible que lo haya visto»
5.Modal + have + ___
Preguntas frecuentes
¿Could have y might have son iguales?+
Parecidos. Could have también indica una oportunidad no aprovechada (We could have won); might have es solo posibilidad.