Past perfect: había + participle
had already done it
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had already done it
había / habías / había + participle is a past before another past: Cuando llegué, ella ya había salido.
Examples in context
Read the examples and compare their English meanings.
Action before another past action
Use to show which past action happened first.
Cuando llegué a la estación, el tren ya había salido.
When I arrived at the station, the train had already left.
State established prior to a past moment
Great for expressing past life experiences.
Nunca había visto una ciudad tan bonita antes de ir a Sevilla.
I had never seen such a beautiful city before going to Seville.
Common mix-ups
Use había with yo. Habían belongs to ellos, ellas, or ustedes.
When you called, I had eaten.
Try a reply
Say or write your answer in Spanish before opening the example.
When I arrived, Ana had already eaten.
Show one possible answer
Cuando llegué, Ana ya había comido.
Other wording can work too. Compare the verb form, agreement, and word order with the lesson. Then try a sentence about your own day.
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