Instruction: Pluperfect (past) Subjunctive – Reflexive

The pluperfect subjunctive tense in Spanish, also known as el pluscuamperfecto de subjuntivo, is used to describe actions that had been completed before another past action, often involving doubt, uncertainty, wishes, emotions, or hypotheticals. When reflexive verbs are used in this tense, they refer to actions that the subject performs on themselves in these specific contexts.

1. Forming the Pluperfect Subjunctive Tense with Reflexive Verbs

The pluperfect subjunctive tense with reflexive verbs is formed by combining the imperfect subjunctive form of haber with the reflexive pronoun and the past participle of the reflexive verb.

Haber Conjugation in the Pluperfect Subjunctive (Common -ra Form):

• Yo me hubiera
• Tú te hubieras
• Él/Ella/Ud. se hubiera
• Nosotros nos hubiéramos
• Vosotros os hubierais
• Ellos/Ellas/Uds. se hubieran

Haber Conjugation in the Pluperfect Subjunctive (Less Common -se Form):

• Yo me hubiese
• Tú te hubieses
• Él/Ella/Ud. se hubiese
• Nosotros nos hubiésemos
• Vosotros os hubieseis
• Ellos/Ellas/Uds. se hubiesen

2. Using Reflexive Verbs in the Pluperfect Subjunctive Tense

Reflexive verbs in the pluperfect subjunctive tense are used in sentences that describe actions the subject had performed on themselves before another action in the past. This tense is often found in subordinate clauses following expressions of doubt, emotion, or hypothetical situations.

Examples:

• Dudaba que tú te hubieras despertado tan temprano.
  (I doubted that you had woken up so early.)

• Si él se hubiera levantado más temprano, no habría llegado tarde.
  (If he had gotten up earlier, he wouldn’t have been late.)

• Era posible que ellos se hubieran preparado bien para el examen.
  (It was possible that they had prepared well for the exam.)

3. Common Reflexive Verbs in the Pluperfect Subjunctive

Here are some common reflexive verbs conjugated in the pluperfect subjunctive tense:

• Levantarse (to get up):

• Yo me hubiera levantado (I had gotten up)
• Tú te hubieras levantado (You had gotten up)

• Vestirse (to get dressed):

• Ella se hubiera vestido (She had gotten dressed)
• Nosotros nos hubiéramos vestido (We had gotten dressed)

• Quedarse (to stay):

• Ellos se hubieran quedado (They had stayed)
• Vosotros os hubierais quedado (You all had stayed)

4. Practice Exercise

Complete the following sentences using the correct form of haber and the reflexive past participle of the verb in parentheses:

1. No creía que tú __________ (levantarse) tan temprano.
2. Si nosotros __________ (quedarse) en casa, habríamos evitado la tormenta.
3. Era probable que ellos __________ (prepararse) bien para la reunión.
4. Dudaba que él __________ (vestirse) adecuadamente para la ocasión.
5. Si ustedes __________ (acostarse) antes, habrían descansado mejor.

Answers:

1. No creía que tú te hubieras levantado tan temprano. (I didn’t believe that you had gotten up so early.)
2. *Si nosotros nos hubiéramos quedado en casa, habríamos evitado la tormenta. (If we had stayed home, we would have avoided the storm.)
3. Era probable que ellos se hubieran preparado bien para la reunión. (It was likely that they had prepared well for the meeting.)
4. Dudaba que él se hubiera vestido adecuadamente para la ocasión. (I doubted that he had dressed adequately for the occasion.)
5. *Si ustedes se hubieran acostado antes, habrían descansado mejor. (If you all had gone to bed earlier, you would have rested better.)

Conclusion

Using reflexive verbs in the pluperfect subjunctive tense allows you to express complex ideas about past actions that the subject performed on themselves, particularly in situations involving doubt, uncertainty, or hypothetical scenarios. By mastering the conjugation of haber in the imperfect subjunctive and correctly placing reflexive pronouns, you’ll be able to accurately describe these nuanced situations in Spanish. Keep practicing these forms to improve your fluency and confidence!