B2Spanish · Grammar

Pluperfect Subjunctive

A lesson from the B2 course: the rule, examples and a 20-sentence test. The course is reviewed by people.

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Lesson

The Past Perfect Subjunctive (Subjuntivo Pluscuamperfecto)

Welcome to the world of the Subjuntivo Pluscuamperfecto! 🚀 This tense is used to talk about hypothetical situations or to express feelings, doubts, or opinions concerning events that had taken place in the past BEFORE another past action. It's like stepping back in time to describe something that happened even earlier, but from a subjective viewpoint.

Remember, the Subjunctive always expresses subjectivity, and the Past Perfect indicates that this action preceded another past action (e.g., in the Imperfect, Preterite, or Conditional Indicative).

Subject + haber (Imperfect Subjunctive) + past participle

We form the Subjuntivo Pluscuamperfecto by combining the auxiliary verb haber in the Imperfect Subjunctive with the past participle of the main verb. Remember that the past participle is invariable (always ending in -o) when used with haber.

PronounHaber (Imperfect Subjunctive)Past Participle (e.g., hablar)
yohubiera / hubiesehablado
túhubieras / hubieseshablado
él/ella/ustedhubiera / hubiesehablado
nosotros/ashubiéramos / hubiésemoshablado
vosotros/ashubierais / hubieseishablado
ellos/ellas/ustedeshubieran / hubiesenhablado
  • To express unreal conditions in the past (the so-called third conditional): often after si (if).
  • After expressions indicating emotions, doubts, wishes, or opinions in the past, concerning an action that happened earlier.
  • After phrases like como si (as if), antes de que (before), sin que (without), when the main clause is in the past.

Si hubiera sabido la verdad, te habría avisado.

If I had known the truth, I would have warned you.

Me alegró que hubieras venido a la fiesta.

I was glad that you had come to the party.

Habló como si hubiese visto un fantasma.

He spoke as if he had seen a ghost.

Watch out! 🚨 Don't confuse the Past Perfect Subjunctive (e.g., hubiera hecho) with the Past Perfect Indicative (e.g., había hecho)! The latter expresses objective facts from the past, while the Subjunctive always conveys subjectivity, doubt, wishes, etc. Hubiera and hubiese are interchangeable, but hubiera is much more commonly used.
Think of the Past Perfect Subjunctive as your time machine for expressing regret, hypothetical scenarios, and subjective views on what could have happened or what if in the past! ✨

Test yourself

20 questions. Answer them all, then check — you'll see what you got right and what to fix.

  1. 1

    Fill in both gaps

    Si 1 en otro país de niños, ahora todo 2 diferente.

    If we had lived in another country as children, everything would be different now.

    1
    2
  2. 2

    Complete the sentence

    Me preocupaba que la cámara.

    I was worried that he had broken the camera.

  3. 3

    Fill in both gaps

    Si 1 el problema a tiempo, no 2 el cliente.

    If we had solved the problem in time, we wouldn't have lost the client.

    1
    2
  4. 4

    Complete the sentence

    Ojalá toda la verdura.

    I wish you had eaten all the vegetables.

  5. 5

    Complete the sentence

    Actuó como si no la trampa él mismo.

    He acted as if he hadn't set the trap himself.

  6. 6

    Complete the sentence

    Era una pena que no la obra.

    It was a shame you hadn't seen the play.

  7. 7

    Complete the sentence

    Me sorprendió que la ventana.

    It surprised me that he had opened the window.

  8. 8

    Complete the sentence

    Temía que ya el tren.

    I was afraid they had already missed the train.

  9. 9

    Type the missing words in the right form

    Si lo entonces, no .

    If I had known then, I wouldn't have gone.

  10. 10

    Type the missing word

    Me molestó que no lo antes de la clase.

    It annoyed me that they hadn't read it before the class.

  11. 11

    Type the missing word

    Me alegró que ya lo antes de la reunión.

    I was glad they had already read it before the meeting.

  12. 12

    Type the missing word

    Habría sido mejor que a tiempo.

    It would have been better if they had started on time.

  13. 13

    Type the missing words in the right form

    Si de niños en otro país, hoy (hablar) otro idioma.

    If we had lived in another country as children, we would speak another language today.

  14. 14

    Type the missing word

    Lamenté que no a tu amigo.

    I was sorry that you hadn't helped your friend.

  15. 15

    Put the sentence together — some words are extra

    If I had bought the ticket yesterday, I wouldn't be here today.

  16. 16

    Put the sentence together — some words are extra

    It surprised me that you hadn't brought your book.

  17. 17

    Put the sentence together — some words are extra

    It looked as if he hadn't slept all night.

  18. 18

    Put the sentence together — some words are extra

    It hurt me that you had forgotten our anniversary.

  19. 19

    Build the missing word from the letters

    Era dudoso que el informe.

    It was doubtful that we had written the report.

  20. 20

    Match each word to its meaning

Printable test

The full test as a PDF with an answer key — print it for yourself or for a class.

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