Pluperfect Subjunctive Spanish


The Pluperfect Subjunctive in Spanish (pluscuamperfecto subjunctive en español) is a compound tense in the past. The Pluperfect Subjunctive is used to express doubt, wishes, uncertainty, possibility and hypothetical actions that took place before a specific past time or that would have taken place under different conditions.

Forming the Pluperfect Subjunctive

To form the pluperfect subjunctive, use:
Imperfect subjunctive of the auxiliary verb haber + the past participle of the main verb

Pluperfect Subjunctive Conjugation Table in Spanish

PronounAuxiliary Verb HaberVerb ending -ar Comprar (to buy)
Yo Hubiera/hubieseComprado
Hubieras/hubiesesComprado
Él/ella/ustedHubiera/hubieseComprado
Nosotros/nosotrasHubiéramos/ hubiésemosComprado
Vosotros/vosotrasHubierais/hubieseisComprado
Ellos/ellas/ustedesHubieran/hubiesenComprado
Pluperfect Subjunctive Conjugation Verb ending in -ar

For past participle verbs ending in -ar add the verb ending -ado.

Examples:

Desearía que tú hubieses comprado los boletos.
I wish you had bought the tickets.

Hubiéramos comprado los zapatos antes de que terminaran los descuentos.
We would have bought the shoes before the discounts ended.

PronounAuxiliary Verb HaberVerb ending -er Vender (to sell)Verb ending -ir Pedir (to ask for)
YoHubiera/hubieseVendidoPedido
Hubieras/hubiesesVendidoPedido
Él/ella/ustedHubiera/hubieseVendidoPedido
Nosotros/nosotrasHubiéramos/ hubiésemosVendidoPedido
Vosotros/vosotrasHubierais/hubieseisVendidoPedido
Ellos/ellas/ustedesHubieran/hubiesenVendidoPedido
Pluperfect Subjunctive Conjugation Verb ending in -er and -ir

For past participle verbs ending in -er and -ir add the verb ending -ido.

Examples:

Carlos esperaba que ellos hubiesen vendido ya el auto.
Carlos hoped they had already sold the car.

Amelia esperaba que Lucas le hubiera pedido ayuda.
Amelia hoped Lucas had asked her for help.

Using Como si in Pluperfect Subjunctive

In Spanish, como si (as if) is used in hypothetical scenarios / expressions.

Examples:

Los jugadores actuaban como si hubieran ganado el partido.
The players acted as if they had won the match.

Daniel corría como si lo hubieran seguido.
Daniel was running as if he had been followed.

Carmen caminó como si no me hubiera visto.
Carmen walked as if she hadn’t seen me.

Also see pluperfect / past perfect indicative in Spanish.

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