The pretérito pluscuamperfecto de subjuntivo, the past perfect subjunctive, is one of the three perfect tenses of the subjunctive mood. It works the same way as the past perfect indicative but it follows the rules for the subjunctive.
The pretérito pluscuamperfecto de subjuntivo is formed by the auxiliar verb "haber" in the past subjunctive tense followed by the past participle of the main verb. The English equivalent of the pretérito pluscuamperfecto de subjuntivo could be, depending on the situation, the past perfect "had + past participle of the main verb ", the conditional perfect "would or could + have + past participle of the main verb” or, simply, a past tense when the sentence has a subjunctive nuance.
Hubiera (o hubiese) sido más fácil ir por el otro camino.
It would have been easier to take the other way.
No sabía que ya se hubieran (o hubiesen) casado. Pensaba que la boda era la semana que viene.
I didn’t know they already got married. I thought the wedding was next week.
The pretérito pluscuamperfecto de subjuntivo conjugation for regular verbs is:
The pretérito pluscuamperfecto de subjuntivo conjugation for irregular verbs is the same as for regular verbs. However, irregular verbs have irregular past participles. See a list of irregular past participles on the perfect tenses - the pretérito pluscuamperfecto part 1 lesson.
Es una pena que no hubiera (o hubiese) estudiado francés cuando estudiaba en la universidad.
It’s a shame I didn’t study French when I was studying in college.
Teníamos tanta hambre cuando llegamos a casa que parecía que no hubiéramos (o hubiésemos) comido en una semana.
We were so hungry when we got home that it looked like we hadn’t eaten in a week.
2. The pretérito pluscuamperfecto de subjuntivo can be used for unreal, hypothetical or doubtful actions that happened in the past or to express unawareness of a past action.
Ojalá yo hubiera (o hubiese) sabido que tú ibas a ir a la fiesta porque entonces yo habría ido.
I wish I had known you were going to the party because I would have gone then.
Ellos no sabían que vosotros hubierais (o hubieseis) estado nunca en Jamaica.
They didn’t know you had ever been to Jamaica.
3. The pretérito pluscuamperfecto de subjuntivo is used for situations that are impossible to accomplish, or situations that we regret we never did, or situations that could have happened but never did.
Hubiera (o Hubiese) sido mejor ir en metro. ¡Mira qué atasco hay!
Taking the train would have been better. Look at this traffic jam!
Mis padres nunca se hubieran (o hubiesen) imaginado que yo sacaría tan buenas notas este trimestre.
My parents would have never imagined that I would get such good grades this quarter.
4. The pretérito pluscuamperfecto de subjuntivo is used in conditional clauses (si clauses). The pluscuamperfecto de subjuntivo is the tense used in the si clause while the conditional perfect is the tense used in the main clause. However, the pluscuamperfecto can also be used in the main clause with the result of having a conditional clause with two verbs in the pluscuamperfecto tense.
Si mi coche no se hubiera (o hubiese) averiado, te lo habría prestado el fin de semana.
Si mi coche no se hubiera (o hubiese) averiado, te lo hubiera (o hubiese) prestado el fin de semana.
If my car hadn’t broken down, I would have lent it to you this weekend.
Si hubierais (o hubieseis) sabido que iba a llover, ¿habríais salido de casa sin paraguas?
Si hubierais (o hubieseis) sabido que iba a llover, ¿hubierais (o hubieseis) salido de casa sin paraguas?
If you had known that it was going to rain, would you have left the house with no umbrella?
*refer to the Conditional Perfect lesson for more information on Si clauses.
The pretérito pluscuamperfecto de subjuntivo is formed by the auxiliar verb "haber" in the past subjunctive tense followed by the past participle of the main verb. The English equivalent of the pretérito pluscuamperfecto de subjuntivo could be, depending on the situation, the past perfect "had + past participle of the main verb ", the conditional perfect "would or could + have + past participle of the main verb” or, simply, a past tense when the sentence has a subjunctive nuance.
Hubiera (o hubiese) sido más fácil ir por el otro camino.
It would have been easier to take the other way.
No sabía que ya se hubieran (o hubiesen) casado. Pensaba que la boda era la semana que viene.
I didn’t know they already got married. I thought the wedding was next week.
The pretérito pluscuamperfecto de subjuntivo conjugation for regular verbs is:
Pretérito Pluscuamperfecto de Subjuntivo | CANTAR | BEBER | VIVIR |
| yo | hubiera o hubiese cantado | hubiera o hubiese bebido | hubiera o hubiese vivido |
| tú | hubieras o hubieses cantado | hubieras o hubieses bebido | hubieras o hubieses vivido |
| él, ella, usted | hubiera o hubiese cantado | hubiera o hubiese bebido | hubiera o hubiese vivido |
| nosotros/as | hubiéramos o hubiésemos cantado | hubiéramos o hubiésemos bebido | hubiéramos o hubiésemos vivido |
| vosotros/as | hubierais o hubieseis cantado | hubierais o hubieseis bebido | hubierais o hubieseis vivido |
| ellos, ellas, ustedes | hubieran o hubiesen cantado | hubieran o hubiesen bebido | hubieran o hubiesen vivido |
The pretérito pluscuamperfecto de subjuntivo conjugation for irregular verbs is the same as for regular verbs. However, irregular verbs have irregular past participles. See a list of irregular past participles on the perfect tenses - the pretérito pluscuamperfecto part 1 lesson.
Uses of the Pretérito Pluscuamperfecto de Subjuntivo
1. The pretérito pluscuamperfecto de subjuntivo is used to talk about completed actions in the past or actions that happened in the past right before another action in the past, always following the rules for the subjunctive.Es una pena que no hubiera (o hubiese) estudiado francés cuando estudiaba en la universidad.
It’s a shame I didn’t study French when I was studying in college.
Teníamos tanta hambre cuando llegamos a casa que parecía que no hubiéramos (o hubiésemos) comido en una semana.
We were so hungry when we got home that it looked like we hadn’t eaten in a week.
2. The pretérito pluscuamperfecto de subjuntivo can be used for unreal, hypothetical or doubtful actions that happened in the past or to express unawareness of a past action.
Ojalá yo hubiera (o hubiese) sabido que tú ibas a ir a la fiesta porque entonces yo habría ido.
I wish I had known you were going to the party because I would have gone then.
Ellos no sabían que vosotros hubierais (o hubieseis) estado nunca en Jamaica.
They didn’t know you had ever been to Jamaica.
3. The pretérito pluscuamperfecto de subjuntivo is used for situations that are impossible to accomplish, or situations that we regret we never did, or situations that could have happened but never did.
Hubiera (o Hubiese) sido mejor ir en metro. ¡Mira qué atasco hay!
Taking the train would have been better. Look at this traffic jam!
Mis padres nunca se hubieran (o hubiesen) imaginado que yo sacaría tan buenas notas este trimestre.
My parents would have never imagined that I would get such good grades this quarter.
4. The pretérito pluscuamperfecto de subjuntivo is used in conditional clauses (si clauses). The pluscuamperfecto de subjuntivo is the tense used in the si clause while the conditional perfect is the tense used in the main clause. However, the pluscuamperfecto can also be used in the main clause with the result of having a conditional clause with two verbs in the pluscuamperfecto tense.
Si mi coche no se hubiera (o hubiese) averiado, te lo habría prestado el fin de semana.
Si mi coche no se hubiera (o hubiese) averiado, te lo hubiera (o hubiese) prestado el fin de semana.
If my car hadn’t broken down, I would have lent it to you this weekend.
Si hubierais (o hubieseis) sabido que iba a llover, ¿habríais salido de casa sin paraguas?
Si hubierais (o hubieseis) sabido que iba a llover, ¿hubierais (o hubieseis) salido de casa sin paraguas?
If you had known that it was going to rain, would you have left the house with no umbrella?
*refer to the Conditional Perfect lesson for more information on Si clauses.