Spanish Grammar Guide

Present Perfect Subjunctive (e.g.: tú hayas hablado)

In this section: Description, Questions, Exercises

Description

An Overview of the Present Perfect Subjunctive:

The present perfect subjunctive is used when the main clauses indicates desire, doubt or uncertainty about a past event , e.g.: No es bueno que hayas comprado dulces. The present perfect subjunctive is used in the same way as the present subjunctive to express the speaker's opinion, desire or doubt about the past event, or if the event expressed is hypothetical.

How to Form the Present Perfect Subjunctive

The present perfect subjunctive is formed using the present subjunctive of the auxiliary verb haber and a past participle, e.g. No nos gusta que hayan vuelto otra vez. The following table shows the present perfect subjunctive with the past participle of the verb decir.

subject present subjunctive of haber past participle of decir
yo haya dicho
hayas dicho
él/ella/usted haya dicho
nosotros hayamos dicho
vosotros hayáis dicho
ellos/ellas/ustedes hayan dicho

How to Use the Present Perfect Subjunctive

Just as other forms of the subjunctive are required in the presence of particular "triggers", so is the present perfect subjunctive. Here are some of the most common verbs that trigger present perfect subjunctive: querer quegustar que, dudar que, lamentar que, e.g.: Dudo que se hayan quedado en la playa. ("I doubt that they have stayed at the beach.")

Here are some common verbs that trigger the present perfect subjunctive:

  • dudar que, desear que, esperar que, exigir que, gustar que, insistir que, necesitar que, pedir que, preferir que, prohibir que, proponer que, querer que, recomendar que, sugerir que, temer que, e.g.: Jorge desea que el político haya dicho la verdad. ("Jorge desires that the politician has told the truth.")

Other expressions that trigger the subjunctive in the subordinate clause are:

  • es bueno que, es dudoso que, es importante que, es mejor que, es necesario que, es preferible que, es una lástima que, tener miedo de que, para que, a menos que, en caso (de) que, antes (de) que, sin que, e.g.: Es importante que ustedes hayan llegado a tiempo. ("It is important that you have arrived on time.")

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Subordinate clauses that have been triggered by one of the preceding phrases or verbs should use the present perfect subjunctive if the verb in the main clause is in the present or future tense, e.g.: Me gusta que haya hecho calor. Será bueno que hayamos ido a la alberca para nadar. ("I like that it has been hot. It will be good that we have gone to the pool to swim.")

Use the past perfect subjunctive if the main verb is in the past tense (preterite or imperfect), conditional or conditional perfect.

In this section: Description, Questions, Exercises

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