hubiera
“hubiera” means “had” in Spanish (in 'if...' clauses about the past (e.g., Si yo hubiera sabido... / If I had known...)).
had
Also: I wish..., would have
📝 In Action
Si hubiera sabido que venías, habría preparado la cena.
B2If I had known you were coming, I would have prepared dinner.
Ojalá hubiera viajado más cuando era joven.
B2I wish I had traveled more when I was young.
Actuó como si no hubiera pasado nada.
C1He acted as if nothing had happened.
No creía que la película ya hubiera empezado.
C1I didn't think the movie had already started.
Si me lo hubieras pedido, te hubiera ayudado. (common informal usage)
B2If you had asked me, I would have helped you.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
Translate to Spanish
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: hubiera
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence correctly completes the idea: 'If I had studied...'?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
Comes from the Latin verb 'habēre', meaning 'to have' or 'to hold'. Specifically, 'hubiera' evolved from the Latin pluperfect subjunctive form, 'habuissem', used for similar hypothetical ideas.
First recorded: Forms derived from 'habuissem' appeared in early Spanish texts around the 10th-12th centuries.
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between 'hubiera' and 'hubiese'?
There is no difference in meaning at all. They are two different spellings for the same verb form and can be used interchangeably. 'Hubiera' is generally more common in everyday speech in most regions, while 'hubiese' might sound slightly more formal or literary, but both are perfectly correct.
Why can't I just say 'Si yo tenía...' (If I had...)?
In Spanish, when you talk about a situation with 'si' (if) that is imaginary or contrary to what actually happened in the past, you must use a special verb form called the subjunctive. 'Tenía' is for describing things that were actually happening in the past, while 'hubiera tenido' is for imagining a past that was different.
Is it 'hubiera' or 'habría'? They both seem to mean 'would have'.
This is a great question! In a typical 'if... then...' sentence about the past, 'hubiera' goes in the 'if' part, and 'habría' goes in the 'then' (result) part. For example: 'Si hubiera llovido (if part), no habría salido (then part)'. However, you'll often hear native speakers use 'hubiera' in both parts, which is a common informal shortcut.