Did René ask this question correctly?

Question

Instructor: Así se pregunta “Had the owner rented the theater before to other people?”.

René: ¿Había el dueño alquilado el teatro antes a otras personas?

Is the question by René correct with " el dueño " coming between había and alquilado?

Answer 1

The subject could go before the verb without affecting the meaning of the question:

¿El dueño había alquilado el teatro antes a otras personas?

In fact, this construction sounds more natural to me. Your version sounds a bit anglicized.

Thank you, I appreciate your helpful response! - swampy, Jun 6, 2013

It sounds completely anglicised, to be honest. - diagonx, Jun 6, 2013

I almost didn't recognize 'you' by your new Elvis. - katydew, Jun 6, 2013

Answer 2

If el dueño is already know from prior context, all you need to say is ¿Había alquilado el teatro antes a otras personas?

If he is unknown, the phrase could be said the first two ways mentioned and in addition: ¿Había alquilado el dueño antes el teatro a otras personas?

Sentence structures are many times regional.

"The auxiliary verb and the past participle are never separated".. This is the phrase that prompted my question when I saw "el dueño" stuck in there. Thank you for your help! - swampy, Jun 6, 2013

I agree the sentence is klunky , all we want to know is " Has the theatre been rented before" to others ? I would have to be by the owner, and we need to know , was it to the same people or others . - ray76, Jun 6, 2013