habían
/ah-BEE-ahn/
had
When habían is used as an auxiliary verb meaning 'had,' it describes an action completed before another past event, such as saying they had eaten.
habían(Verb)
had
?Used with another verb to talk about a 'past before the past', e.g., 'they had eaten'
📝 In Action
Cuando llegué a la fiesta, mis amigos ya se habían ido.
B1When I got to the party, my friends had already left.
Ellos habían estudiado mucho antes del examen.
B1They had studied a lot before the exam.
Ustedes nunca habían visto una película tan buena.
B1You all had never seen such a good movie.
💡 Grammar Points
The 'Before-Past' Tense
'Habían' is your time machine word. It helps you talk about an action that happened before another action in the past. It always teams up with another verb ending in '-ado' or '-ido', like 'habían comido' (they had eaten).
❌ Common Pitfalls
Using the Wrong Past Tense
Mistake: "Cuando llegué, ellos salieron."
Correction: Cuando llegué, ellos ya se habían ido. Use 'habían ido' to make it clear their leaving happened *before* you arrived. The first sentence means they left at the moment you arrived.
⭐ Usage Tips
Telling a Story in Order
'Habían' is a fantastic tool for storytelling. It helps your listener understand the sequence of events clearly. First, they had finished dinner. Then, the movie started.
When habían means 'there were,' it describes the existence of multiple things or people in a place, like saying there were many objects in the meadow.
📝 In Action
En la fiesta habían muchas personas que no conocía.
A2At the party, there were many people I didn't know.
Habían tres gatos durmiendo en el sofá.
A2There were three cats sleeping on the sofa.
Antes, en este pueblo habían solo dos tiendas.
B1Before, in this town there were only two stores.
💡 Grammar Points
Saying 'There Were'
You can use 'habían' to say 'there were' when talking about more than one thing. For example, 'Habían dos gatos' (There were two cats). It's the past version of 'hay' (there is/are).
❌ Common Pitfalls
The 'Official' Rule vs. Real Life
Mistake: "Using 'habían' on a formal grammar test."
Correction: Había muchas personas. In very formal writing, the official rule says to always use the singular form 'había' for 'there was/were', even for multiple items. However, in daily conversation, you'll hear 'habían' constantly, and it's perfectly understood.
⭐ Usage Tips
Painting a Picture with Words
Use 'habían' to set the scene in a story. It's a great way to describe what a place was like in the past: 'En el parque habían árboles altos y flores de colores' (In the park, there were tall trees and colorful flowers).
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: habían
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence uses 'habían' to talk about an action that happened *before* another past action?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between 'había' and 'habían'?
'Había' can mean 'he/she/it had' or 'there was/were'. 'Habían' means 'they/you all had'. You'll also very commonly hear 'habían' used to mean 'there were' for multiple items, especially in conversation, even though some grammar books recommend using 'había' for everything.
Can I use 'habían' by itself?
Almost never. When it means 'had', 'habían' is a helper verb and needs another verb with it (like 'comido', 'visto', 'hecho') to make sense, as in 'ellos habían comido' (they had eaten). The only time it stands alone is when it's used to mean 'there were'.
Is it wrong to say 'habían' for 'there were'?
It's not 'wrong' in the sense that millions of native speakers say it every day and it's perfectly understood. However, it's considered non-standard in formal writing and on grammar exams, where 'había' is the preferred form.