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Question

Can you please translate these three sentences so I can distinguish them?

"Mi jefe esperaba que hubiera podido terminar el proyecto."

"Mi jefe esperaba que ella pudiera terminar el proyecto."

"Mi jefe había esperado que ella hubiese podido terminar el proyecto."

I am interested in the answers to this question too! Only the present subjunctive for me so far. - Ventana_al_mundo, Jan 27, 2013

Answer 1

Did you try the translation tool in the translate tab? I realize with complex sentences the results may not be very satisfying.

First line: "Mi jefe esperaba que hubiera podido terminar el proyecto."

My boss was hoping that I had been able to finish the project.

Second line : "Mi jefe esperaba que ella pudiera terminar el proyecto."

My boss was hoping that she could finish the project.

Third line : "Mi jefe había esperado que ella hubiese podido terminar el proyecto."

My boss had hoped that she had been able to finish the project.

Note that "hubiera" and "hubiese" are alternate forms for the imperfect subjunctive of "haber".

Note that "hubiera" can be either first or third person. You need context to tell which one is operative. - Noetol, Jan 27, 2013

nice job Noetol :) - Kiwi-Girl, Jan 28, 2013

Thanks, Kiwi. - Noetol, Jan 28, 2013

Answer 2

I'm really confused! Why does the subjunctive come into play here? I thought you would need two different subjects.

Edit: A lightbulb just went off in my head. When we say "he," are we referring to the boss or someone else? If we are referring to someone else, would that count as a different subject?

quite right, as I mentioned to unmica above - if the boss was the only subject it should say .. Mi jefe esperaba haber podido terminar ... but as the subjunctive is used there needs to be 2 subjects, as you rightly pointed out so the boss must have been - Kiwi-Girl, Jan 28, 2013

talking about a 2nd subject (probably obvious from the context) :) - Kiwi-Girl, Jan 28, 2013

Answer 3

My boss hoped that he (the boss) would have been able to finish the project.

My boss hoped that she would be able to finish the project.

My boss had hoped that she would have been able to finish the project.

UnMica for your first example I think it's more likely to be referring to someone else finishing the project, otherwise it would have said, Mi jefe esperaba haber podido terminar ... - Kiwi-Girl, Jan 28, 2013

I agree with you, Kiwi, I was just emphasizing the ambiguity of the wording. I actually almost suggested to kyle the same exact thing you just suggested to me : P - unMica, Jan 28, 2013

:) - Kiwi-Girl, Jan 28, 2013