Hypothesizing about the Past
When solving mysteries or evaluating unverified events, we often need to express profound doubt or imagine unfulfilled conditions in the deep past. To do this, use the Past Perfect Subjunctive, triggered by phrases of assumption or supposition.
Key phrases include فرض کنیم که (let's assume that) and negative suppositions like گمان نمیکنم که (I do not suppose that).
| Let's assume that the victim had committed suicide. | فرض کنیم که قربانی خودکشی کرده بوده باشد.farz konim ke ghorbâni khodkoshi karde bude bâshad. |
| I do not suppose that he had brought an accomplice with him. | گمان نمیکنم که او همدستی با خود آورده بوده باشد.gomân nemikonam ke u hamdasti bâ khod âvarde bude bâshad. |
Remote Possibilities
To describe a highly uncertain past scenario or an alternative outcome that feels particularly remote, use triggers like شاید (perhaps) and بعید است که (it is unlikely that) followed by the Past Perfect Subjunctive.
| Perhaps his accomplice had hidden the evidence in the hideout. | شاید همدست او مدرک را در مخفیگاه پنهان کرده بوده باشد.shâyad hamdast u madrak râ dar makhfigâh penhân karde bude bâshad. |
| It is unlikely that someone had poisoned him so it would look like suicide. | بعید است که کسی او را مسموم کرده بوده باشد تا خودکشی به نظر برسد.ba'id ast ke kasi u râ masmum karde bude bâshad tâ khodkoshi be nazar beresad. |
Degrees of Doubt
While the Past Perfect Subjunctive emphasizes deep, distant, or multi-layered doubt, you will frequently see these exact same triggers paired with the Present Perfect Subjunctive.
Use the Present Perfect Subjunctive for simpler, more recent, or slightly more probable past mysteries. Reserve the Past Perfect Subjunctive for the most remote or unfulfilled hypotheses.
Notice how these examples use the Present Perfect Subjunctive (e.g., گرفته باشد instead of گرفته بوده باشد):
| I do not suppose that the murderer had taken revenge on the victim. | گمان نمیکنم که قاتل از قربانی انتقام گرفته باشد.gomân nemikonam ke qâtel az qorbâni enteqâm gerefte bâshad. |
| Perhaps the detective has solved this vague mystery. | شاید کارآگاه این معمای مبهم را حل کرده باشد.shâyad kârâgâh in mo'ammâ-ye mobham râ hal karde bâshad. |
| It is unlikely that the detective had solved this ambiguous mystery. | بعید است که کارآگاه این معمای مبهم را حل کرده باشد.ba'id ast ke kârâgâh in mo'ammâ-ye mobham râ hal karde bâshad. |
