Pretérito Pluscuamperfecto de Indicativo (Pluperfect / Past Perfect Indicative Tense)

The pretérito pluscuamperfecto de indicativo (also known as the pluperfect or past perfect indicative) is used to describe actions that had occurred before another action or specific time in the past. It is often used to establish a sequence of events in the past.

Mood:

The indicative mood in the pluperfect tense expresses certainty about actions that happened before a reference point in the past. The focus is on what had already happened by the time another event took place.

• Indicative mood = certainty, facts, reality
• Pluperfect (past perfect) tense = actions completed before another past event

Usage:

• To describe an action that had occurred before another past action: Cuando llegué, ella ya había salido. (When I arrived, she had already left.)
• To describe actions that were completed before a specific point in the past: Había terminado el trabajo antes de la cena. (I had finished the work before dinner.)
• To provide context in a narrative: Había visto esa película antes de leer el libro. (I had seen that movie before reading the book.)

Formation:

The pretérito pluscuamperfecto is formed by using the imperfect form of the auxiliary verb haber followed by the past participle of the main verb.

Regular Conjugation (Indicative):

Person	Haber (Imperfect)	AR Verbs (Past Participle)	ER Verbs (Past Participle)	IR Verbs (Past Participle)
Yo	había	hablado	comido	vivido
Tú	habías	hablado	comido	vivido
Él/Ella/Usted	había	hablado	comido	vivido
Nosotros	habíamos	hablado	comido	vivido
Vosotros	habíais	hablado	comido	vivido
Ellos/Ustedes	habían	hablado	comido	vivido

Irregular Past Participles:

The same irregular past participles used in other perfect tenses apply here:

• Abrir (to open): abierto
• Decir (to say/tell): dicho
• Escribir (to write): escrito
• Hacer (to do/make): hecho
• Ver (to see): visto
• Poner (to put): puesto

Common Time Expressions:

• Antes de (before)
• Ya (already)
• Todavía no (not yet)
• Cuando (when)
• Nunca (never)

Examples:

• Había comido antes de salir. (I had eaten before leaving.)
• Ya habían cerrado la tienda cuando llegué. (They had already closed the store when I arrived.)
• Nunca había visto una película tan interesante. (I had never seen such an interesting movie.)