Espero que tuvieras un buen fin de semana!

Question

I was trying to tell my uncle, born in Mexico, that I hoped he had a great weekend, so I wrote "Espero que tuvieras un buen fin de semana!", and he corrected me by writing "tuviste". Is the imperfect subjunctive correct in this case? Thanks!

great question, phil! - 006595c6, Jun 26, 2017

Answer 1

No, you need to say "hayas tenido". I don't know how to explain why though, sorry. I hope someone else can give you an explanation.

Espero que hayas tenido un buen fin de semana.

I agree. - polenta1, Jun 26, 2017

This is the way I would do it. - Daniela2041, Jun 26, 2017

Answer 2

Hello!

Explanation isn't my strongest suit, but here's a thread from 2011 & 2016 that might explain the answer. Read it thoroughly.

• Why is "espero que tuvieras un fin muy agradable" incorrect?
• "Haya tenido" or "usted tuviera"

Hope this helps.

Regards!

good job, nkm, great threads! - 006595c6, Jun 26, 2017

Answer 3

Heidita, I completely agree that use should be more important than proper use. I believe that is perfectly fine to ignore the rules, but I also find important to understand what we are ignoring. I find this case quite intriguing. I have find many reasons why it is not correct, and no reason why it is (many searches of it shows that it is at least popular, but we can also find many searches on wrong uses of "sino/si no"). Basically, on the one hand it has clearly a perfective aspect, and it follows a present leading verb. Do you have any source that I can check about this? I'll keep researching though.

Answer 4

Hi shameless, yes, I am positive.

So are a 100000 users on the web...doesn't mean much, I know but hey, we have to listen to reason, right

"espero que tuvieras"

Aproximadamente 97.400 resultados (0,38 segundos)

This said, look at yet another thread on WR:

https://forum.wordreference.com/threads/imperfecto-de-subjunctivo-epero-que-tuvieras.870147/?hl=es

https://forum.wordreference.com/threads/espero-que-pasado.75419/?hl=es

By the way, talking about your uncle's "correction", Phil, have a look at this thread, same mistake.

https://forum.wordreference.com/threads/espero-que-tuviste-un-buen-viaje-subjuntivo-con-preterito.1730775/

Answer 5

Hi phil, the sentence you used is perfect.

Have a look at the two links provided by NKM, who seems to be a specialist in finding threads

Lazarus is a grammar geek, nobody I know beats him on grammar issues.

Chileno is a native speaker, and so am I.

We all say the same: tuvieras is a correct choice.

This said, I also agree with Daniela and Clevine, "hayas tenido" sounds great, probably a better choice, but "tuvieras" is also perfect.

Your uncle is in theory wrong. Espero is followed by subjunctive, but this would open another discussion about whether we should go with the grammar rule or the instinct or what people say.

I fully agree that use should be considered as much as (or more than) grammar rules. However, for technical curiosity, I am wondering, are you sure about "tuvieras" here? I don't recall seeing a present tense followed by an imperfect subjunctive - Shamelesspanish, Jun 26, 2017

I wouldn't dare to contradict Lazarus but It also sounds odd to me. Maybe a regional thing. I've noticed than Shameless and I are from the same place. - 00fac92a, Jun 26, 2017

Answer 6

Hello! As Clevine says, here you need "hayas tenido". Structures as "esperar que" need to be followed by subjunctive. In this case, the "pretérito perfecto" of the subjunctive mood for a second person "tú" (equivalent to "tuviste", the "pretérito perfecto" of the indicative mood). This tense, in both moods, is used to express an action that happened in the past and is already finished. This case is a little bit ambiguos regarding why we use this tense and not the imperfect past (tuvieras), most manuals agree that this happens because the action happens immediately before the moment of speech (this sentence is likely to be said Sunday night, or the first days of the week). As a plus, in general we use the imperfect (tuvieras) when the main verb (esperar) is conjugated in the past: esperaba que tuvieras un buen fin de semana.

The conjugation for "tener" in this tense is yo haya tenido tú hayas tenido él, ella, Ud. haya tenido nosotros hayamos tenido vosotros hayáis tenido ellos, ellas, Uds. hayan tenido vos hayas tenido

Here it is a useful chart for this situations: http://users.ipfw.edu/jehle/courses/sequence.htm - Shamelesspanish, Jun 26, 2017

Answer 7

Hi shameless, please have a look at this.

Have a look at situation 1

don't miss the fine print

sequence of tenses

{or the imperfect subjunctive where the imperfect indicative would otherwise be used}]". I am seriously confused, In this case, the indicative tense will be preterite"tuve un gran fin de semana". Am i missing something else? - Shamelesspanish, Jun 26, 2017

What? - Shamelesspanish, Jun 26, 2017

You deleted or edited the old post with a misspelling. - NKM1974, Jun 26, 2017

Oh, maybe! I had problems coping and pasting the quote and had to delete it many times! Thanks ;). - Shamelesspanish, Jun 27, 2017

Answer 8

Yo hubiera dicho "Espero que hayas pasado buen fin de semana."

This is correct as well, both are perfectly natural. - Shamelesspanish, Jun 26, 2017

Answer 9

{or the imperfect subjunctive where the imperfect indicative would otherwise be used}]". I am seriously confused, In this case, the indicative tense will be preterite"tuve un gran fin de semana". Am i missing something else? - Shamelesspan

My take is that in other sentences not introduced by a trigger of subjunctive, it would be past simple.

However, with a trigger like the one we are talking about, we can use either past subjunctive or present perfect subjunctive.

Tuve un gran fin de semana.

Espero que tuviera un gran fin de semana.