What is the difference between the present perfect and the preterite tenses in Spanish?

The present perfect tense in Spanish is used to describe actions that have happened recently or that are still ongoing in the present. It is a compound tense, so you use the verb haber in the present tense, with the past participle of the verb. An example of this would be: he cantado = I have sung. On the other hand, the preterite tense is used to describe or express actions that have happened and been completed in the past, as well as events that happened at specific times and dates. An example of this would be: canté = I sang.