17.6. Past Preterite Perfect: Reflexive

2. Using Reflexive Verbs in the Past Preterite Perfect Tense

Reflexive verbs in the past preterite perfect tense are used in sentences that describe actions the subject had performed on themselves immediately before another action in the past. This tense is typically found in formal writing, literature, or historical texts.

Examples:

• Cuando él se hubo levantado, salió de la habitación.
  (When he had gotten up, he left the room.)

• Después de que nosotros nos hubimos vestido, fuimos a la fiesta.
  (After we had dressed, we went to the party.)

• Tan pronto como ellas se hubieron sentado, comenzó la presentación.
  (As soon as they had sat down, the presentation began.)

3. Common Reflexive Verbs in the Past Preterite Perfect Tense

Here are some examples of common reflexive verbs conjugated in the past preterite perfect tense:

• Levantarse (to get up):

• Yo me hube levantado (I had gotten up)
• Tú te hubiste levantado (You had gotten up)

• Vestirse (to get dressed):

• Él se hubo vestido (He had gotten dressed)
• Nosotros nos hubimos vestido (We had gotten dressed)

• Sentarse (to sit down):

• Ellas se hubieron sentado (They had sat down)
• Vosotros os hubisteis sentado (You all had sat down)

4. Practice Exercise

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

1. Cuando tú __________ (levantarse), ya había amanecido.
2. Después de que ellos __________ (acostarse), empezó la tormenta.
3. Tan pronto como nosotros __________ (prepararse), salimos para el evento.
4. Cuando ella __________ (peinarse), fue a trabajar.
5. Después de que ustedes __________ (quedarse) en el hotel, comenzó la conferencia.

Answers:

1. Cuando tú te hubiste levantado, ya había amanecido. (When you had gotten up, it was already dawn.)
2. Después de que ellos se hubieron acostado, empezó la tormenta. (After they had gone to bed, the storm began.)
3. Tan pronto como nosotros nos hubimos preparado, salimos para el evento. (As soon as we had prepared, we left for the event.)
4. Cuando ella se hubo peinado, fue a trabajar. (When she had combed her hair, she went to work.)
5. Después de que ustedes se hubieron quedado en el hotel, comenzó la conferencia. (After you all had stayed at the hotel, the conference began.)

Conclusion

Using reflexive verbs in the past preterite perfect tense allows you to express complex sequences of events where the subject performed an action on themselves immediately before another action. This tense, while less common in everyday conversation, is vital for formal and literary Spanish. By mastering the conjugation of haber in the preterite tense and correctly placing reflexive pronouns, you can effectively use this tense to convey precise timing and actions in your Spanish communication. Keep practicing these forms to enhance your fluency and understanding!