The Spanish Future Perfect Subjunctive is a complex and infrequently used tense that blends irregular past participles with the future subjunctive of the auxiliary verb “haber.” This article focuses on the irregular past participles you might encounter in this unique construction.
Irregular Past Participles: The Key Players
Unlike their regular counterparts, irregular past participles don’t follow the standard -ado or -ido endings. They have distinct forms that must be committed to memory. Let’s explore some common examples:
- hacer (to do/make) → hecho
- decir (to say/tell) → dicho
- ver (to see) → visto
- poner (to put) → puesto
- escribir (to write) → escrito
- romper (to break) → roto
- abrir (to open) → abierto
- morir (to die) → muerto
Building the Future Perfect Subjunctive
The Future Perfect Subjunctive is formed by combining two elements:
- Future Subjunctive of “haber”
- Past Participle of the Main Verb
Conjugation of “haber” in the Future Subjunctive
| Person | Conjugation |
|---|---|
| yo | hubiere |
| tú | hubieres |
| él/ella/usted | hubiere |
| nosotros | hubiéremos |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | hubieren |
Examples in Context
- “Cuando yo hubiere hecho la tarea…” (When I will have done the homework…)
- “Si ellos hubieren visto la película…” (If they will have seen the movie…)
- “Después de que tú hubieres dicho la verdad…” (After you will have told the truth…)
- “Una vez que nosotros hubiéremos puesto la mesa…” (Once we will have set the table…)
A Note on Usage
The Future Perfect Subjunctive is exceedingly rare in contemporary Spanish, both spoken and written. You’re most likely to encounter it in:
- Legal documents
- Very formal literature
- Historical texts
In everyday conversations, other tenses like the Present Perfect Subjunctive or the Past Perfect Subjunctive are typically used instead.
Key Takeaway
While rarely used, understanding the Future Perfect Subjunctive and its irregular participles deepens your grasp of Spanish grammar and equips you to understand older or highly formal texts.
Synonyms:
- English: Compound Future Subjunctive
- Spanish: Futuro Perfecto de Subjuntivo, Futuro Compuesto de Subjuntivo