Future Perfect vs. Present Perfect Subjuntive

Question

Hello! I have a question about using the present perfect subjunctive in situations similar to the future perfect. For example, in this sentence, "Espero que haya escrito 4 páginas para el lunes," (I hope that you will have written four pages by Monday) is the present perfect subjunctive being used almost like the future perfect, except that the first clause requires the subjunctive? I thought that the present perfect only referred to possible actions in the past and not to a future time period, but just checking.

A really good question. - annierats, Apr 9, 2013

Answer 1

As Kiwi said the future subjunctive and the future perfect subjunctive are virtually obsolete except in legal writing where precision of language is essential. In fact, Spanish and English mirror each other in this regard as the following sentences will show:

"Avísame cuando hayas empezado la construcción de tu casa" "Let me know when you have started the construction of your house"

"Estaremos contentos cuando hayamos terminado la construcción de nuestra casa" "We will be happy when we have finished the construction of our house"

In both of the English sentences, "will have" could quite correctly be used with the second verb. In both Spanish and English, it is the context that indicates future or present action.

In your example, "will have" is explicit; however, the sentence could have been constructed as:

"I hope that you have written four pages by Monday" or the slightly more archaic: "I hope that you may have written four pages by Monday"

Cheers

Thank you! It makes sense that just as we don't use English grammar consistently, Spanish grammar follows the same form. - pianist17, Apr 9, 2013

I donm't thikyou can leave ' will have' out , Padrin, but I vote for you all the same, as nobody but me votes these days. - annierats, Apr 9, 2013

One tense less to struggle with ? - britisk, Apr 9, 2013

Nice job padrin :) - Kiwi-Girl, Apr 9, 2013

Annie, unfortunately elegant and precise sentences in English tend to be dismissed as pedantic, so we all get used to using "one size fits all" style of English full of short-cuts and ellipses. - padrin, Apr 10, 2013

Answer 2

Yes the spanish future subjunctive is pretty much out of use now and the present subjunctive covers both present and future situations.

Thanks Kiwi, I feel immense uncertainty as soon as I read one of these questions. - annierats, Apr 9, 2013

I don't believe it Annie, you, the queen of the subjunctive thread, lol - Kiwi-Girl, Apr 9, 2013

Answer 3

I think, in your example, the subjunctive arises because of '' espero que'' and possibly this overrides the possible use of ' habrás'. You could certainly answer by saying'' Sí, el lunes habré escrito a menos 3 paginas.'

Good question, I look forward to other answers.

Answer 4

The use of the present subjunctive for future action is indicated by the context:

"Dudo que Juan lo haga" / "I doubt that John is doing it" / "I doubt that John will do it"

The use of the present perfect subjunctive for future action is indicated by either the context or by a conjunction indicating future action. For example:

"Don't touch the paint until it has dried" / "No toques la pintura hasta que se haya secado"

In isolation, "it has dried" refers to a recent past action, and this would be translated by the Spanish present perfect tense as "se ha secado". A way of looking at this is that the word "until" refers to a future point in time looking back from which the paint "has dried". The subjunctive is required after a conjunction of time referring to the future or some indefinite time (hasta que), so the tense required is the present perfect subjunctive tense. Apply this reasoning to your "Monday"

Cheers

Answer 5

So, if were talking about a future event, you would simply use the present subjunctive, like "Espero que escribas 4 páginas," but if were speaking about something in the future perfect, "I hope that you (will) have written four pages by Monday," then you would use the present perfect subjunctive (Espero que hayas escrito 4 páginas para el lunes?"

Answer 6

Ups double post