Pretérito Perfecto de Subjuntivo

Espero que hayas aprobado el examen

Let’s continue learning Subjuntivo and move to another tense. It’s called Pretérito Perfecto de Subjuntivo, and it has a lot to do with Presente de Subjuntivo. They share the same markers. Unlike Presente, Pretérito Perfecto de Subjuntivo is used when the markers refer to the present, but the second part of the sentence refers to the past.

Espero que Manuel haya vuelto – I hope that Manuel has come back (I hope now, but he should have come back before)

Nos alegramos de que hayas resuelto todo – We are happy, that you have solved everything

Puede ser que haya dejado el reloj en el tren – It’s possible that I left the watch on the train

It’s evident that such markers as esperar, alegrarse and puede ser require Subjuntivo. As the dependent clause (second part) is about the actions that happened in the past, Pretérito Perfecto comes in handy: ha vuelto, has resuelto, he dejado. However, we can’t leave it in Indicativo (simple Pretérito Perfecto). Somehow Subjuntivo should be used, because the markers in the main clause need it. That’s why the verb haber (he, has, ha) transforms into haya, hayas, haya. The participle remains intact.

Pretérito Perfecto de Subjuntivo is like the Simple Pretérito Perfecto, but the verb haber takes the forms of Presente de Subjuntivo.

ha comido – haya comido

Forms

haya + participio

olvidar

yo – haya olvidado

tú – hayas olvidado

él, ella, usted – haya olvidado

nosotros – hayamos olvidado

vosotros – hayáis olvidado

ellos, ellas, ustedes – hayan olvidado

Try it yourself:

salir

yo – …

tú – …

él – …

nosotros – …

vosotros – …

ellos – …

Conjugate the following verbs, as well: recoger, apuntar, poner, cubrir.

No creo que el señor Fernández haya ganado todo ese dinero – I don’t believe, that Sr. Fernandez has earned all that money

Dudamos que los dinosaurios hayan desaparecido por tan sólo un meteorito – We doubt that the dinosaurs disappeared by only one meteorite

Es raro que vosotros no me hayáis dicho los detalles – It’s strange that you didn’t tell me the details

Try it yourself:

I’m not sure that Carlos has been to Morocco

Don’t you believe, that I could get to know her?

It’s strange that you haven’t learned how to swim

It’s a pity that my parents didn’t take me to the Spanish course

If only the mechanic had already repaired the car

The usage of the Subjuntivo markers with Pretérito Perfecto de Subjuntivo is quite limited. Some of them are just not very convenient from the logical point of view.

La madre prohibe al hijo que haya salido ayer – The mother prohibits her son that he left home yesterday (this sentence doesn’t have sense)

If you understand Presente de Subjuntivo well enough, this one doesn’t have to seem too hard to you.

Recap

Let’s make a brief recap of the three Subjuntivo tenses, that you know by now.

Presente de Subjuntivo

It’s used when the markers come in the present tense, and the other action refers either to the present, or the future.

Espero que dejes de fumar – I hope you quit smoking

Imperfecto de Subjuntivo

It’s used when the markers are in the past tense, and the other action refers to the present or the future, relative to the past.

Esperaba que dejaras de fumar – I hoped you quit smoking

Pretérito Perfecto de Subjuntivo

It’s used when the markers are in the present tense, and the other action refers to the past.

Espero que hayas dejado de fumar – I hope you’ve quit smoking

Now you can try to guess, what the fourth type of Subjuntivo is about.