Breakdown of Preferiría que me mostraras el álbum donde había estado la estampilla.
estar
to be (location/state)
preferir
to prefer
que
that / than
me
to me / me (direct object)
Questions & Answers about Preferiría que me mostraras el álbum donde había estado la estampilla.
Why do we use the imperfect subjunctive mostraras here instead of the present subjunctive muestres?
Because the main verb Preferiría is in the conditional tense. When you express a wish, preference, or polite request in the conditional, the verb in the following que clause shifts back into the imperfect subjunctive (mostraras). If the main verb were in the present tense (Prefiero), you would use the present subjunctive (muestres).
Since Preferiría triggers the subjunctive, why is había estado in the indicative?
The subjunctive trigger only affects the specific action you are requesting or wishing for, which is me mostraras (that you show me). The second part of the sentence, donde había estado la estampilla, is simply describing a real, specific album that exists. Because it states a historical fact rather than a wish or doubt, it uses the indicative past perfect tense.
Why does the subject la estampilla come after the verb había estado instead of before it?
In Spanish, it is very common and often sounds more natural to place the subject after the verb in relative clauses (clauses starting with words like que or donde). You could correctly say donde la estampilla había estado, but putting the subject at the very end gives the sentence a smoother, more native-sounding flow.
Is estampilla the standard word for a postage stamp?