Expressing Present Attitudes Toward Past Events

Expressing Present Attitudes Toward Past Events

• When an attitude is expressed in the present (I'm glad) toward an action completed in the past (she left), the perfect subjunctive is normally used in the dependent clause:
Main clause: Present attitude
Present indicative conjunction Dependent clause: Complete past event
Perfect subjunctive
Me alegra
I'm glad que
(that) se haya ido.
she (has) left.
(Es una) lástima
It's a pity que
that no haya llovido el verano pasado.
it didn't rain last summer.
No pueden creer
They can't believe que
that no hayas continuado escribiendo.
you didn't continue to write.
Ojalá
I hope que hayas tenido un buen viaje.
you had a good trip.

•
Only when a present attitude refers to things that used to happen or descriptions, the [imperfect] past subjunctive may be used in the dependent clause:
No es sorprendente que Colón viajara [haya viajado] con frecuencia.
It's not surprising that Columbus used to travel [had traveled] frequently.