A colorful illustration of a child holding a large, shiny, previously hidden golden key firmly in their hand, symbolizing the concept of past possession.

hubieras

oo-BYEH-rahs

Verb (Auxiliary)B2highly irregular er

you had?as an auxiliary verb in a hypothetical past statement (Past Perfect Subjunctive)

Also:if you would have?in conditional clauses (e.g., Si hubieras...)

Quick Reference

infinitivehaber

gerundhabiendo

past Participlehabido

📝 In Action

Si me lo hubieras preguntado, te habría ayudado.

If you had asked me, I would have helped you.

Esperaba que hubieras entendido la lección.

I hoped that you had understood the lesson.

Fue una pena que no hubieras venido a la fiesta.

It was a shame that you hadn't come to the party.

Word Connections

Synonyms

hubieses (you had (alternative Past Subjunctive form))

Common Collocations

Si hubieras sabido – If you had known
Ojalá hubieras podido – I wish you could have

💡 Grammar Points

The Third Conditional

'Hubieras' is the essential ingredient for talking about things that didn't happen in the past. It always partners with the conditional tense ('habría') to say 'If X had happened, Y would have happened.'

Unreal Past Wishes

Use 'Ojalá' (I wish) followed by 'hubieras' and a past participle to express regret about a past action: 'Ojalá hubieras venido' (I wish you had come).

❌ Common Pitfalls

Mixing Tenses

Mistake: "Si me lo hubieras dicho, te *ayudaría*."

Correction: Si me lo hubieras dicho, te *habría* ayudado. (The Past Subjunctive must be paired with the Conditional Perfect in the result clause.)

⭐ Usage Tips

Expressing Regret

This form sounds much more natural and strong than trying to translate the English 'would have' literally. Think of 'hubieras' as the verb form of blame, regret, or possibility.

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: hubieras

Question 1 of 1

Which English structure does 'hubieras' primarily help to form?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

haber(to have (auxiliary)) - verb

habría(I/he/she would have) - verb

hubo(there was/there were) - verb

Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'hubieras' the same as 'hubieses'?

Yes, 'hubieras' and 'hubieses' are both correct forms of the Past Subjunctive for 'tú,' and they are interchangeable in most situations, especially when talking about unreal past events.

When do I use 'hubieras' instead of 'habías'?

'Habías' (Imperfect Indicative) describes a past action that happened over time or was ongoing. 'Hubieras' (Past Subjunctive) is used when the action is unreal, uncertain, or counterfactual (something that didn't actually happen).