The present perfect tense expresses actions that began in the past and continue in the present or actions that happened at an unspecified time before now. It uses the verb forms "have/has + past participle" and is used when the specific time is unimportant. Certain time words like "ever, never, already" are often used with the present perfect. It can also indicate repeated actions before now or situations that began in the past and continue to the present when used with words like "for" or "since".