"we have applied" vs "we had applied"

Question

"we have applied" vs "we had applied"

Both phrases are correct, but they are used in different contexts. 'We have applied' is used to indicate a recent action that has an effect on the present, while 'we had applied' is used to indicate a past action that was completed before another past action. The choice between the two depends on the timeline of the events being described.

Last Updated: March 20, 2024

Use 'we have applied' when referring to a recent action that has relevance to the present moment. It indicates that the action was completed in the past but has a connection to the present.

Examples:

We have applied for a job at the new company.
They have applied the new rules to all employees.
I have applied the lessons I learned in school to my current job.

Alternatives:

We applied
We have submitted
We have requested
We have put forward
We have made an application

Use 'we had applied' when referring to a past action that was completed before another past event. It indicates that the application took place in the past and was finished before another event occurred.

Examples:

We had applied for the grant before the deadline passed.
She had applied for the job, but she didn't get it.
They had applied for a loan, but it was rejected.

Alternatives:

We applied
We had submitted
We had requested
We had put forward
We had made an application

Answer 1

we have applied

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English to indicate a recent action that has an effect on the present.

Answer 2

we had applied

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English to indicate a past action that was completed before another past action.

"we have applied" vs "we had applied"

we have applied

we had applied

Related Comparisons