B2 · The subjunctive
The perfect subjunctive: haya hecho
For what has already happened and is being judged all the same.
At a glance
- Remember
- Over and done with and still being judged — then haya plus participle.
- Form
- (yo) haya terminadothat I have finished
- Signal words
- espero que haya
- no creo que haya
- cuando hayas
- ojalá haya
- me alegro de que haya
- Trap
- Wrong:Me alegro de que vengas ayer.Right:Me alegro de que hayas venido.
Your turn
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The form
How the forms are built
Each row gives the meaning first, then the form in Spanish. The colours show what changes from one form to the next.
stem (regular) tense marker auxiliary verb
| that I have finished | (yo) haya terminado |
| that you have finished (tú) | (tú) hayas terminado |
| that he, she has finished / you (usted) have finished | (él, ella, usted) haya terminado |
| that we have finished | (nosotros) hayamos terminado |
| that you have finished (vosotros) | (vosotros) hayáis terminado |
| that they / you (ustedes) have finished | (ellos, ellas, ustedes) hayan terminado |
The rules one by one
The form this topic is aboutThe word that calls for it
It goes where the perfect would go and the main clause demands a subjunctive.
Espero que hayas dormido bien.I hope you slept well.
After cuando it names something finished beforehand.
Cuando hayas acabado, cierra.Lock up when you have finished.
Negated verbs of opinion pull it in as well.
No creo que se hayan enterado.I do not think they have heard.
The participle never changes.
Ojalá hayan llegado bien.I hope they got there safely.
Example sentences
Me alegro de que hayas venido.I am glad you came.
Es raro que no haya llamado.It is odd that he has not called.
No creo que hayan salido todavía.I do not think they have left yet.
Ojalá no se haya olvidado.I hope he has not forgotten.
6 more example sentences
Espero que hayáis comido algo.I hope you have had something to eat.
Es posible que ya se hayan ido.They may have gone already.
Cuando hayas leído esto, llámame.Ring me when you have read this.
No es cierto que lo haya dicho.It is not true that he said it.
Me extraña que no hayas visto nada.I am surprised you saw nothing.
Ojalá hayamos hecho lo correcto.I hope we have done the right thing.
The trap English speakers fall into
Watch out
The plain subjunctive gets used although the thing is over: Me alegro de que vengas for «I am glad you came». That sentence means «I am glad you are coming». For something past it is hayas venido — the same distinction English makes with the tense, made once more in the mood.
The full explanation
Read it all · about 1 min
Built from the subjunctive of haber plus the participle: haya, hayas, haya, hayamos, hayáis, hayan plus hecho. It stands where the perfect would stand if the main clause did not demand a subjunctive.
Me alegro de que hayas venido — the coming is behind us, the main clause is judging it, so the subjunctive. With vengas the sentence would say the coming is still ahead. English draws that line with «you came» against «you come» and then stops; Spanish also has to change the mood.
It is also used after cuando for something finished before a future point: Cuando hayas terminado, avísame.
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The verbs on this page, in every form: haber · creer · ser · llegar · salir · cerrar · venir · esperar