The Present Perfect Tense is formed with the present of the helping verb to have and with the past particle of a transitive verb. This Tense deals with actions completed in the past but whose described activity is felt, seen, or extended into the present. Example: "We have read the book." The memory continues to be with us.

One needs to remember that all transitive verbs have an object even if at times the object is understood in the verb itself. Example: "Have you eaten?" "Yes, I have eaten." It is understood that a person has eaten something.

Italian often uses the Present Perfect I have eaten Ho Mangiato, while English uses the Simple Past (I ate mangiai)..