The perfect subjunctive
The perfect subjunctive (pretérito perfeito composto do conjuntivo) is used to talk about actions that may or may not have been completed in the past. It often follows the same triggers as the present subjunctive—such as expressions of doubt, emotion, or possibility—but refers to a past event rather than an ongoing or future one.
To form the perfect subjunctive, use the present subjunctive of the auxiliary verb ter and add the past participle of your main verb.
| Subject | Present Subjunctive of ter |
|---|---|
| eu | tenha |
| tu | tenhas |
| ele/ela/você | tenha |
| nós | tenhamos |
| eles/elas/vocês | tenham |
The past participle (usually ending in -ado or -ido) remains completely invariable; it does not change to agree with the subject in gender or number.
| It is possible that they have deposited the cheque. | É possível que eles tenham depositado o cheque. |
| I do not think that we have approved the transaction of the cheque. | Não acho que nós tenhamos aprovado a transação do cheque. |
Expressing doubt and emotion about the past
Just like with the present subjunctive, expressions like não acho que (I don't think that), é possível que (it is possible that), or verbs expressing emotion require the subjunctive. When these apply to something that has already happened, you use the perfect subjunctive.
| I do not think that he has made the transfer. | Não acho que ele tenha feito a transferência. |
| We hope that the bank has approved the loan without interest. | Esperamos que o banco tenha aprovado o empréstimo sem juros. |
| I regret that you have made the withdrawal of that amount. | Lamento que tu tenhas feito o levantamento desse montante. |
Irregular past participles
While most verbs have regular past participles, some common verbs have irregular, shorter forms. For example, fazer becomes feito, pagar becomes pago, and gastar becomes gasto.
| It is not possible that he has paid the instalment of the loan. | Não é possível que ele tenha pago a prestação do empréstimo. |
| I do not think that I have spent the savings. | Não acho que eu tenha gasto a poupança. |
| It is possible that you have paid interest on the transaction. | É possível que vocês tenham pago juros na transação. |
These are the standard past participle forms used with the auxiliary verb ter to build perfect tenses.
| I do not believe that they have allowed the withdrawal of the amount. | Não acredito que eles tenham permitido o levantamento do montante. |
| It is good that the bank has received the transfer of the instalment. | É bom que o banco tenha recebido a transferência da prestação. |