O passado do passado

O Past Perfect (had + past participle) descreve uma ação que aconteceu antes de outra ação no passado. É o 'mais-que-perfeito' do inglês.

When I arrived, she had already left. (ela saiu antes de eu chegar)

He hadn't eaten anything, so he was very hungry.

By 9pm, they had finished the meeting.

Formação: had + past participle

A mesma forma para todas as pessoas: had + particípio passado.

I/You/He/She/We/They had finished.

Negativa: She hadn't seen him before.

Pergunta: Had they met before? — Yes, they had.

Use o Past Perfect para a ação mais antiga. Use o Past Simple para a mais recente.

After he had finished dinner, he went to bed.

She called me after the meeting had ended.

By the time I arrived, they had gone home.

Confusões comuns para falantes de português:

When I arrived, she already left.

→

When I arrived, she had already left.

A ação anterior → Past Perfect.

He had ate the cake.

→

He had eaten the cake.

Particípio de 'eat' é 'eaten', não 'ate'.

Had she went there?

→

Had she gone there?

Particípio de 'go' é 'gone'.

Formação

had + past participle

She had left.

Negativa

hadn't + past participle

He hadn't eaten.

Pergunta

Had + sujeito + participle?

Had they met?

Uso

ação anterior a outra no passado

by the time / after / already