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You are here: Home / B1-6 Pretérito anterior de indicativo

B1-6 Pretérito anterior de indicativo

The ‘pretérito anterior de indicativo’ indicates actions that have happened in the past, even before the time indicated by the ‘pretérito perfecto de indicativo’.

Verbs in the pretérito anterior tense are formed this way: ‘preterito indefinido’ of the ausiliar ‘haber’ + past participle of the verb.
ex.Yo Hube cantado (-ar)
comido (-er)
vivido (-ir)
Tú Hubiste cantado (-ar)
comido (-er)
vivido (-ir)
Él/Ella Hubo cantado (-ar)
comido (-er)
vivido (-ir)
Nosotros/Nosotras Hubimos cantado (-ar)
comido (-er)
vivido (-ir)
Vosotros/Vosotras Hubisteis cantado (-ar)
comido (-er)
vivido (-ir)
Ellos/Ellas Hubieron cantado (-ar)
comido (-er)
vivido (-ir)

When is the pretérito anterior used?
-only strictly when writing in formal language.
-to refer to an action that has happened in the past, but immediately before others.

There are words that make it easier to recognise when this particular tense is used:
Apenas (Only when)
Así que (So)
Cuando (When)
En cuanto (As soon as)
Luego que (After)
No bien (As soon as)
Tan pronto como (As soon as)
Una vez que (Once)
ex. Cuando hube acabado los exámenes, disfruté de las vacaciones.
Tan pronto como hubo cantado la canción, el público comenzó a aplaudir.
No bien hubimos pedido la comida, el camarero llegó con lo que habíamos pedido.

These are some irregular past participles:
Devolver -> devuelto
Proponer -> propuesto
Morir -> muerto
Cubrir -> cubierto
Romper -> roto
Elegir -> elegido/electo
Freír -> freído/frito
Incluir -> incluido/incluso
Nacer -> nacido/ nato

NEXT: B1-7 Personal pronouns (stressed and unstressed)

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