present perfect subjunctive vs past perfect subjunctive

Question

Maybe this is a bit of an advanced question as I am just starting to learn the subjunctive but it spiked my interest while learning the grammar.

How do I translate a sentence like this :" It is possible that I will have ... At the beginning it seemed logical that I would have to use the future perfect subjuntive in cases like this. "Es posible que hubiere... " But afterwards I read that the future perfect subjuntive hardly exists anymore, only in legal documents and literature. So then I found that it should be the present perfect subjunctive. As this topic about the present perfect subjunctive explained: http://www.spanishdict.com/topics/show/102 you can use the present perfect subjunctive for actions that will have been completed it gives the example "Es posible que haya vuelto para marzo. " (It is possible that I will have returned by March)

but then I read here, a topic about the past perfect subjunctive: http://www.spanishdict.com/topics/show/106 that it should be this, the past perfect subjunctive "Es posible que hubiera vuelto para marzo."

So now i'm confused. Which one is it?

Thanks in advance.

Answer 1

Pepe no cree que yo haya ganado el premio gordo en la lotería. (pres, perf, subjunctive)

Pete doesn't believe that I have won first place in the lottery.

Si (yo) no hubiera comprado el boleto no lo habría ganado. (past perfect subjunctive)

If I hadn't bought the ticket, I wouldn't have won it .

This is the primary way in which these forms are used. - Daniela2041, Jul 22, 2015

Thanks, Dani :)) - sanlee, Jul 22, 2015

Answer 2

Lo correcto es:

"Es posible que (yo) haya vuelto para marzo."

Por ejemplo:

"Si todo sale bien, es posible que (yo) haya vuelto para marzo."

Las otras dos opciones son incorrectas:

Uso incorrecto:

"Es posible que (yo) hubiere vuelto para marzo." (Futuro perfecto de subjuntivo)

Uso correcto:

"Si (yo) no hubiere vuelto para marzo, (entonces) llamad a la policía."

Uso incorrecto:

"Es posible que (yo) hubiera vuelto para marzo."

Uso correcto:

"Si todo hubiera salido bien, (entonces) es posible que (yo) habría vuelto para marzo."

I'll send you a medal. - annierats, Jul 23, 2015

Answer 3

A suggestion:

Es posible que para marzo ya habré vuelto..or Es posible que haya vuelto.

Your example 'hubiera vuelto' would refer to the past, you would have returned but something happened and you didn't return.

' Haya vuelto' can indeed refer to the present or to the future, but I can't see why you can't just simply use the future tense in this case.

I may be wrong, I often am.

Answer 4

Someone can correct me on this, but I think the subjunctive mood isn't used in this case because "Es posible" denotes certainty.

As far as the sentence structure goes, I believe you have two options, you'll be understood using any one of these....

Es posible volver para marzo

Es posible que vuelvo para marzo*(simple tense translation that indicates an event happening in the immediate future. The present tense is generally used in this case)

Papo, March may not be in the immediate future, depends where we are, in , say July? ? - annierats, Jul 23, 2015

Answer 5

Es posible que hubiera vuelto para marzo.

It's possible that I would have returned in March.

(Something that would have happened if it weren't for other circumstances. Not do be confused with the present conditional type of "would")

EXAMPLE: Si no fui a México por 3 semanas, es posible que hubiera vuelto en marzo.

If I didn't go to Mexico for 3 weeks, it's possible that I would have returned in march.

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Es posible que hubiere vuelto para marzo; depende si voy a México o no.

It's possible that I will have returned in march; it depends if go to Mexico or not.

I believe the simple present subjunctive haya would also work and communicate the same thing, just like "ahorita regreso" and "regresaré" mean the same thing.

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A lot of this stuff can be confusing and isn't always directly translatable. Any native speakers out there, feel free to correct me.

It's with "N O es posible" that the subjunctive is used. "hubiere vuelto" is future subjunctive. "Hubiere" and other future subjunctive forms are no longer used. There are several other problems here, but it's hard to correct in a comment. - Daniela2041, Jul 22, 2015

Thanks for the feedback, would the first example make sense? "Si no fui a México por 3 semanas, es posible que hubiera vuelto en marzo." - Kiwaiano, Jul 23, 2015

Sí no hubiera ido a Méjico.. - annierats, Jul 23, 2015

Answer 6

It seems I was just really confused with all the perfect tenses :D thanks for clearing it up Daniela. Those examples really help me to see how I should apply it in a real conversation.