haberle
ah-BEHR-leh
Quick Reference
📝 In Action
Debió haberle dicho la verdad antes de que se fuera.
B1He should have told her the truth before she left.
Tienes que haberle dado una buena razón para que cambie de opinión.
B2You have to have given him a good reason for him to change his mind.
No sé cómo pudo haberle pasado algo tan terrible.
B2I don't know how something so terrible could have happened to her.
💡 Grammar Points
The 'Infinitive + Pronoun' Rule
When a verb is in its base form (the infinitive, ending in -ar, -er, or -ir), you attach the short pronoun (like 'le') right onto the end, creating one single word.
The Role of 'Haber'
'Haber' is a helping verb here. It doesn't mean 'to own'; it helps form perfect tenses, showing that the action was completed at some point in the past.
'Le' means 'To Him/Her/You'
The 'le' indicates that the action of the main verb (which is usually hidden in the past participle, like 'dicho' or 'dado') is directed to a single person, whether that person is male, female, or formal 'you'.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Separating the Pronoun
Mistake: "Debió le haber dicho."
Correction: Debió haberle dicho. The pronoun must be attached to the infinitive (haber) or placed before the conjugated verb (le debió haber dicho is also correct).
⭐ Usage Tips
Placement Flexibility
In these two-verb structures, you have a choice: either attach 'le' to the infinitive (haberle) OR place 'le' before the first conjugated verb (le debió haber). Both are correct, but attaching it is often clearer.
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: haberle
Question 1 of 2
In the sentence 'Quise haberle dado un regalo,' what does 'le' refer to?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is 'haberle' one word instead of two?
In Spanish, when you use a verb in its base form (the infinitive), any short pronouns (like 'le', 'me', 'te') must be physically attached to the end of that verb, making a single, longer word.
Does 'haberle' mean 'to have'?
The 'haber' part means 'to have,' but only in the sense of a helping verb used to form perfect tenses (like 'I have eaten'). The whole word 'haberle' means 'to have done something *to him/her*,' indicating a completed action directed at someone.