The Past Perfect Subjunctive, also known as the Pluperfect Subjunctive (Pretérito Pluscuamperfecto de Subjuntivo), is used to talk about hypothetical situations, regrets, or subjectivity related to actions that occurred before another point in the past. It’s the subjunctive equivalent of the Pluperfect Indicative (“had done”).

When to Use the Spanish Pluperfect Subjunctive

This tense appears in contexts similar to other subjunctive uses, but shifted further into the past:

1. Past WEIRDO Triggers about an Earlier Past

When the main clause verb expressing subjectivity (Wishes, Emotions, Impersonal expressions, Recommendations, Doubt, Ojalá) is in a past tense (Imperfect, Preterite, Conditional, Pluperfect Indicative) and refers to an action before that trigger time.

  • Esperaba que ya hubieras terminado cuando llegué. (I was hoping you had already finished when I arrived.)
  • Fue una lástima que no hubieran podido venir. (It was a shame they hadn’t been able to come.)
  • Dudé que hubiera dicho la verdad. (I doubted he had told the truth.)
  • Si me hubieras llamado antes, te habría ayudado. (If you had called me earlier, I would have helped you.) - See next point

2. Hypothetical “If” Clauses in the Past (Impossible/Regret)

In the “if” part of sentences describing hypothetical situations contrary to past fact (Type 3 Conditionals), often expressing regret.

  • Si hubiera estudiado más, habría aprobado el examen. (If I had studied more, I would have passed the exam.)

  • Si lo hubiéramos sabido, habríamos venido antes. (If we had known it, we would have come earlier.)

  • No lo habría comprado si hubiera sabido el precio. (I wouldn’t have bought it if I had known the price.)

(Note: The result clause often uses the Conditional Perfect: habría + past participle)

3. After “Como Si” (As If) Referring to an Earlier Past

When como si describes a hypothetical past situation prior to the main verb’s past time.

  • Hablaba como si hubiera vivido allí toda su vida. (He spoke as if he had lived there his whole life.)

  • Actuó como si no hubiera pasado nada. (He acted as if nothing had happened.)

4. Ojalá Expressing Past Regret/Wish

When ojalá expresses a wish about something in the past that didn’t happen.

  • ¡Ojalá hubiéramos ganado el partido! (If only we had won the game!)
  • Ojalá no hubiera llovido ayer. (I wish it hadn’t rained yesterday.)

Pluperfect Subjunctive Formation

This tense is a compound tense formed using:

Imperfect Subjunctive of haber + Past Participle of main verb

Imperfect Subjunctive of Haber (-ra or -se endings)

Remember, haber is irregular in the preterite (ellos hubieron), so its imperfect subjunctive stem is hubie-.

Haber (Imperfect Subjunctive -ra)

  • yo hubiera
  • tú hubieras
  • él/ella/usted hubiera
  • nosotros/as hubiéramos
  • vosotros/as hubierais
  • ellos/ellas/ustedes hubieran

Haber (Imperfect Subjunctive -se)

  • yo hubiese
  • tú hubieses
  • él/ella/usted hubiese
  • nosotros/as hubiésemos
  • vosotros/as hubieseis
  • ellos/ellas/ustedes hubiesen

Past Participles (Review)

  • Regular -ar verbs → -ado (e.g., hablado)
  • Regular -er/-ir verbs → -ido (e.g., comido, vivido)
  • Irregular past participles (e.g., dicho, hecho, visto, escrito, puesto, roto, muerto, abierto, vuelto, cubierto)

Complete Conjugation Examples (using -ra form of haber)

Hablar (to speak)

  • (si) yo hubiera hablado (if I had spoken)
  • (si) tú hubieras hablado (if you had spoken)
  • (si) él/ella/usted hubiera hablado (if he/she/you had spoken)
  • (si) nosotros/as hubiéramos hablado (if we had spoken)
  • (si) vosotros/as hubierais hablado (if you all had spoken)
  • (si) ellos/ellas/ustedes hubieran hablado (if they/you all had spoken)

Comer (to eat)

  • (si) yo hubiera comido (if I had eaten)

  • (si) tú hubieras comido (if you had eaten)

  • (si) él/ella/usted hubiera comido (if he/she/you had eaten)

  • (si) nosotros/as hubiéramos comido (if we had eaten)

  • (si) vosotros/as hubierais comido (if you all had eaten)

  • (si) ellos/ellas/ustedes hubieran comido (if they/you all had eaten)

Hacer (to do/make - irregular participle)

  • (si) yo hubiera hecho (if I had done/made)
  • (si) tú hubieras hecho (if you had done/made)
  • (si) él/ella/usted hubiera hecho (if he/she/you had done/made)
  • (si) nosotros/as hubiéramos hecho (if we had done/made)
  • (si) vosotros/as hubierais hecho (if you all had done/made)
  • (si) ellos/ellas/ustedes hubieran hecho (if they/you all had done/made)

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Using Pluperfect Indicative in Past Hypotheticals

Past “if” clauses (Type 3 Conditionals) require Pluperfect Subjunctive.

  • Incorrect: Si había sabido, habría venido.

  • Correct: Si hubiera sabido, habría venido.

2. Using Imperfect Subjunctive for Earlier Past

If the subjective action clearly happened before the past trigger, use Pluperfect Subjunctive.

  • Context: Llegué tarde a la reunión.

  • Incorrect: El jefe lamentó que yo estuviera ausente al principio. (Implies being absent during the lament)

  • Correct: El jefe lamentó que yo hubiera estado ausente al principio. (The boss regretted I had been absent at the start.)

3. Incorrect Haber Conjugation

Use the imperfect subjunctive forms of haber (hubiera/hubiese…), not other past forms.

  • Incorrect: Si yo habría estudiado…
  • Incorrect: Si yo había estudiado…

  • Correct: Si yo hubiera/hubiese estudiado…

4. Forgetting Accent on Nosotros Hubiéramos/Hubiésemos

As with the simple Imperfect Subjunctive, the nosotros form requires an accent.

  • Incorrect: Si hubieramos sabido…

  • Correct: Si hubiéramos sabido…

Practice What You’ve Learned

Ready to tackle the Spanish pluperfect subjunctive? Head over to our Practice page and select the “pretérito pluscuamperfecto de subjuntivo” option.

Practice forming sentences about past hypotheticals and regrets to solidify your understanding of this advanced tense.