Pluperfect

Spanish: Edexcel IGCSE, topic 10.4.5

Forming the Pluperfect

To form the pluperfect tense you use the imperfect of ‘haber’ plus the past participle of a verb. It means 'to had done’ something. For the past participle refer to 10.4.1.

Había aprendido - I had learnt

Había aprendido - I had learnt

Habías preferido - you had preferred

Habías preferido - you had preferred

Había cantado - he/she had sung

Había cantado - he/she had sung

Habíamos vendido - we had sold

Habíamos vendido - we had sold

Habíais llegado - you had arrived

Habíais llegado - you had arrived

Habían tenido - they had had

Habían tenido - they had had

Irregular Pluperfect

To form the pluperfect tense using irregular past participles, you use the imperfect of ‘haber’ plus the past participle of a verb. It means 'to had (done) something. For the past participle refer to 6.1.1.

Había visto - I had seen

Había visto - I had seen

Habías abierto - you had opened

Habías abierto - you had opened

Había muerto - he/she had died

Había muerto - he/she had died

Habíamos hecho - we had done

Habíamos hecho - we had done

Habíais descubierto - you had discovered

Habíais descubierto - you had discovered

Habían supuesto - they had assumed

Habían supuesto - they had assumed

Test yourself on Pluperfect

  • How do you say 'we had danced' in Spanish?

  • How do you say 'you (plural) had had' in Spanish?

  • How do you say 'I had covered' in Spanish?

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