LEARN SPANISH "PRETÉRITO PLUSCUAMPERFECTO" (PAST PERFECT) OF THE SUBJUNCTIVE MOOD

When we translate the tenses corresponding to the Spanish subjunctive mood into English we will do it according to the context. We always have to interpret the sentence and translate accordingly.

Before we study the "pretérito pluscuamperfecto" (past perfect) of the subjunctive mood we need to learn some basic concepts about Spanish verbs. Spanish verbs are always either regular or irregular as it happens with English verbs. All Spanish verbs end either in "-ar", "-er" or "-ir". These are the three Spanish conjugations.

Example

Hablar (to speak) Correr (to run) Añadir (to add)

To form the "pretérito pluscuamperfecto" (past perfect) of the subjunctive mood, we need to use the auxiliary verb "haber" (have) in its "pretérito imperfecto" (past simple) of the subjunctive mood and the past participle of another verb. To form the past participle of the regular verbs in Spanish, we need to take the verb as we find it in the dictionary and remove the last two letters. Then, if the verb ends in "-ar" we will add the ending "-ado" and if the verb ends in "-er" or "-ir" we will add the ending "-ido".

Example

For the verbs ending in -ar:

Example: We take the verb "hablar" (to speak). We remove the "-ar". We are left with "habl-" (the stem) and then we add "-ado". In this way we have the past participle of the verb "hablar" (to speak).

To conjugate the "pretérito pluscuamperfecto" (past perfect) of the subjunctive mood of the verb "hablar" (to speak) we will use the "pretérito imperfecto" (past simple) of the subjunctive mood of the verb "haber" (to have) and the past participle of the verb "hablar" (to speak).

For the verbs ending in -er:

Example: We take the verb "correr" (to run). We remove the "-er": We are left with corr- (the stem) and then we add "-ido". In this way we have the past participle of the verb "correr" (to run).

To conjugate the "pretérito pluscuamperfecto" (past perfect) of the subjunctive mood of the verb "correr" (to run) we will use the "pretérito imperfecto" (past simple) tense of the subjunctive mood of the verb "haber" (to have) and the past participle of the verb "correr" (to run).

For the verbs ending in -ir:

Example: We take the verb "añadir" (to add). We remove the "-ir": We are left with añad- (the stem) and then we add "-ido". In this way we have the past participle of the verb "añadir" (to add).

To conjugate the "pretérito pluscuamperfecto" (past perfect) of the subjunctive mood of the verb "añadir" (to add) we will use the "pretérito imperfecto" (past simple) tense of the subjunctive mood of the verb "haber" (to have) and the past participle of the verb "añadir" (to add).

The differences between the persons "tú" (you), "vosotros" (you all), "usted" (you formal) and "ustedes" (you all formal) are explained in Spanish Personal Pronouns .

SOME GENERAL USES

We use the "pretérito pluscuamperfecto" (past perfect) of the subjunctive mood to express a regret about actions already completed in the past.

Example