MOD: Gramática Lesson - Pasado Perfecto o Pluscuamperfecto

Pasado Perfecto o Pluscuamperfecto

El pluscuamperfecto, the past perfect, is often used to talk about what a person had done before something else happened in the past. It is formed by combining haber in the imperfect with a past participle.

Pluscuamperfecto (Past Perfect) - Spanish Formula

• haber (in the imperfect tense) + past participle of the main verb

Reminder: to form the past participle, simply drop the infinitive ending (-ar, -er, -ir) and add:

• -ado for -ar verbs
• -ido for -er and -ire verbs

Examples:

• hablar - ar + ado = hablado
• comer - er + ido = comido
• vivir - ir + ido = vivido

Irregular Part Participles Review

The following common verbs have irregular past participles:

Note that compound verbs based on the irregular verbs inherit the same irregularities. Here are a few examples:

• componer → compuesto
• devolver → devuelto

Spanish Past Perfect Examples

Check out these examples of the Spanish past perfect - what English auxiliary verb (helping verb) do you see in the translations?

Past Perfect Examples

Singular Examples

Plural Examples

Yo había visto a mi tía Amy. I had seen my Aunt Amy. Tú habías cantado en el concierto cuando llegué. You had sung at the concert when I arrived. Usted había leído el libro antes que los estudiantes. You had read the book before the students. Él se había quitado su gorro antes de entrar en la iglesia. He had taken off his hat before entering the church. Ella había comido antes de ir al centro comercial. She had eaten before going to the mall.

Nos habíamos sentado cuando el coche salió. We had sat down when the car left. Tú no habíais oído la canción antes de ahora. You had not heard the song before now. Vosotros habíais vuelto cuando ellos salieron. You had returned when they left. Ellos habían puesto los abrigos en el sofá. They had put the coats on the sofa. Ellas habían hablado mucho cuando la fiesta terminó. They had talked a lot when the party ended.

The most common translation of the Spanish past perfect is to use the English helping verb had, which helps define a time that happened earlier than another time. The past perfect is almost always used to relate something happening to another event - notice the examples that include "X had happened before Y."

Also notice that the auxiliary verb (haber) and the past participle are never separated. If object pronouns are present, they go immediately before haber.

Additional Examples

• Yo ya lo había visto.
  • I had already seen him.
• Usted lo había escuchado antes que él.
  • You had heard it before him.
• Él se lo había quitado antes de entrar en la iglesia.
  • He had taken it off before entering the church.
• No la habíais oído antes de ahora.
  • You had not heard it before now.
• Ellos los habían puesto en la mesa.
  • They had put them on the table.

Video Presentation

Practice Activity

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