Spanish 5.6. Perfect Subjunctive Tense

In this lesson, we study the perfect subjunctive tense in Spanish.

The subjunctive mood is used to express opinion, possibility, and feelings such as fear, doubt, hope, desire, etc.

We also know that the present perfect tense describes events that happened recently or started in the past and continue in the present.

Now, we will study the case when we want to express opinions, possibilities, and feelings, such as fear, doubt, hope, desire, etc., about something that happened recently or started in the past and continues in the present. In other words, we want to describe the present perfect but in the subjunctive mood, i.e., the perfect subjunctive.

Conjugation

The perfect subjunctive, similar to the present perfect in the indicative, uses the past participle. However, the only difference is that the auxiliary verb “haber” is conjugated in the subjunctive.

  -ar ending
hablar		-er ending
comer		-ir ending
vivir
yohayahabladocomidovivido
túhayas
él/ella/ustedhaya
nosotros/-ashayamos
vosotros/-ashayáis
ellos/ellas/ustedeshayan

Examples

Let us look at some examples of the perfect subjunctive tense in Spanish:

  Examples
yohayaEs bueno que haya descansado después del partido.It is good that I have relaxed after the match.
túhayasEspero que hayas disfrutado tu viaje.I hope that you have enjoyed your trip.
él/ella/ustedhayaMe pone triste que no me haya llamado.It makes me sad that he hasn’t called me.
nosotros/-ashayamosDudo que hayamos visto tu casa antes de hoy.I doubt that we have seen your house before today.
vosotros/-ashayáisEstoy feliz de que hayáis llegado.I am happy that you have arrived.
ellos/ellas/ustedeshayanNo creo que hayan vivido aquí.I don’t believe they have lived here.

Other Uses of the Perfect Subjunctive

Another less common use is to describe things that will have been completed in the future. It is, in effect, expressing the future perfect in the subjunctive mood, for example:

Espero que hayas terminado de escribir el libro para el próximo año.I hope that you will have finished writing the book by next year.

Note that “para el próximo año” (by next year) is what clarified the meaning to be in the future. Otherwise, without reference to some future time, it is more likely to assume the following meaning:

Espero que hayas terminado de escribir el libro.I hope that you have finished writing the book.

Quiz: Perfect Subjunctive Tense in Spanish

Spanish: Perfect Subjunctive Tense

1 / 8

1. I doubt that we have seen your house before today. (to see = ver)

 

SP: Dudo que  tu casa antes de hoy.

 

Accented letters (if needed):

á é í ó ú ñ ü

2 / 8

2. I don't believe that they have lived here. (to live = vivir)

 

SP: No creo que  aquí.

 

Accented letters (if needed):

á é í ó ú ñ ü

3 / 8

3. I hope that you have enjoyed your trip. (to enjoy= disfrutar)

 

SP: Espero que tú  tu viaje.

 

Accented letters (if needed):

á é í ó ú ñ ü

4 / 8

4. It is good that you have relaxed after the match. (to relax = descansar)

 

SP: Es bueno que tú  después del partido.

 

Accented letters (if needed):

á é í ó ú ñ ü

5 / 8

5. Conjugate the Spanish verb "vivir" (to live) in the perfect subjunctive tense.

yo
tú
él/ella/usted
nosotros/as
vosotros/-as
ellos/ellas/ustedes

 

Accented letters (if needed):

á é í ó ú ñ ü

6 / 8

6. I am happy that you have arrived. (to arrive = llegar)

 

SP: Estoy feliz de que tú .

 

Accented letters (if needed):

á é í ó ú ñ ü

7 / 8

7. Conjugate the Spanish verb "hablar" (to talk) in the perfect subjunctive tense.

yo
tú
él/ella/usted
nosotros/as
vosotros/-as
ellos/ellas/ustedes

 

Accented letters (if needed):

á é í ó ú ñ ü

8 / 8

8. It makes me sad that he has not called me. (to call= llamar)

 

SP: Me pone triste que no me .

 

Accented letters (if needed):

á é í ó ú ñ ü

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Next: Imperfect Subjunctive

Back to: Spanish Lessons

Other lessons in Level V:

Level V – Advanced

1.     Irregular Verbs in the Preterite Tense

2.    Imperative Mood & Giving Commands

3.    Expressions of Pain & Illness

4.    Simple Conditional Tense

5.    Present Subjunctive Tense II

6.    Perfect Subjunctive Tense

7.    Imperfect Subjunctive Tense

8.    Past & Conditional Progressive Tense

9.    Interjections