Perfect Subjunctive in Spanish Grammar
Introduction
The perfect subjunctive (pretérito perfecto de subjuntivo) is used to express doubt, wishes and opinions about actions that have already been completed, or will be completed at a later time.
Learn about the conjugation and usage of the perfect subjunctive mood in Spanish grammar with Lingolia’s grammar rules and exercises. See indicative tenses for information about perfect indicative and tense comparison for the difference between the indicative and subjunctive mood in Spanish grammar.
Example
Esperamos que la operación haya sido todo un éxito.
Podrás ver a tu hermano cuando haya salido del quirófano.
Usage
We use the Spanish subjunctive mood after certain expression of wishes, hope, doubt, personal opinions or feelings. The perfect subjunctive is always used in dependent clauses and describes:
- completed actions
- Example:
- Esperamos que la operación haya sido todo un éxito.We hope that the operation was successful.
the operation just took place
- actions that will be completed by a certain point in the future
- Example:
- Podrás ver a tu hermano cuando haya salido del quirófano.You can see your brother when he comes out of the operating room.
the brother is still in the operating room
Verbs and expressions with the subjunctive
The following lists include the verbs and expressions after which we have to use the subjunctive.
Dependent Clauses
We can use the perfect subjunctive (pretérito perfecto subjuntivo) in dependent clauses when the verb in the main clause is in one of the following tenses, and the action in the dependent clause is completed but still related to the present/future.
| tense | main clause | dependent clause |
|---|---|---|
| presente | Me alegro de…I’m glad… | que haya venidothat he came. |
| pretérito perfecto | Me he alegrado de…I was glad… | |
| futuro simple | Me alegraré de…I’ll be glad… | |
| futuro compuesto | Me habré alegrado de…I will have been glad… | |
| futuro próximo | Siempre voy a alegrarme de…I’m always going to be glad… | |
| imperativo | ¡Alégrate de…!Be glad that he came. |
Verb Conjugation in Spanish Perfect Subjunctive
To conjugate verbs in the perfect subjunctive, we need the present subjunctive forms of the verb haber + past participle.
| person | haber | past participle |
|---|---|---|
| yo | haya |
hablado aprendido vivido |
| tú | hayas | |
| él/ella/usted | haya | |
| nosotros/-as | hayamos | |
| vosotros/-as | hayáis | |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | hayan |
Past Participle
We form the past participle by removing the infinitive ending and adding the corresponding participle ending: -ado for -ar verbs or -ido for er/ir-verbs.
- Example:
- hablar – hablado
- aprender – aprendido
- vivir – vivido
Irregular past participles
Some verbs have irregular participle forms. The most important irregular participle forms are listed in the table below:
| verb | perfect participle | translation |
|---|---|---|
| abrir | abierto | open |
| decir | dicho | say |
| escribir | escrito | write |
| hacer | hecho | do/make |
| imprimir | impreso | |
| morir | muerto | die |
| poner | puesto | set/place |
| ver | visto | see |
| volver | vuelto | return |