B2 · Unit 9 · 42 words, 2 texts with translation
Find out what happened to a missing box
Talk about packages, lost things and moving, and react to things that have already happened: "I hope you got there safely," "I don't think the box got lost."
Texts in this unit
Grammar in this unit
The present perfect subjunctive: haya llegado, hayas visto
You already know that after espero que, me alegro de que and no creo que you use the subjunctive (B1, units 18 and 24; B2, unit 5), and that "I have done" is he hecho (A2, unit 2). Now we put the two together.
What it's for. You hope, you're glad or you doubt something that has already happened. A friend has just moved: "I hope you got there safely." The package still hasn't come: "I don't think it got lost." English simply says "I hope you got there", but Spanish needs a subjunctive form here.
How it's formed. Take he llegado and put haber in the subjunctive. The past participle doesn't change.
| Person | haber | past participle |
|---|---|---|
| yo | haya | llegado |
| tú | hayas | llegado |
| él / ella / usted | haya | llegado |
| nosotros | hayamos | llegado |
| vosotros | hayáis | llegado |
| ellos / ellas / ustedes | hayan | llegado |
The irregular participles are the same as in he hecho: haya hecho, haya visto, haya puesto, haya roto, haya dicho, haya vuelto.
- Espero que hayas llegado bien. — I hope you got there safely.
- Me alegro de que hayáis venido. — I'm glad you came (to several people).
- No creo que el paquete haya salido del almacén. — I don't think the package has left the warehouse.
- Es una pena que se haya roto la lámpara. — It's a shame the lamp broke.
- Siento que no hayan podido venir. — I'm sorry they couldn't come.
Where no and pronouns go: before haya. Espero que no te hayas dejado nada. — I hope you didn't leave anything behind. Nothing goes between haya and the participle.
A quick test. Take away the beginning of the sentence. If what's left is has llegado or ha salido, then after que you need hayas llegado, haya salido.
Common mistakes:
- the normal form (indicative) after que: ✗ espero que has llegado → espero que hayas llegado;
- the preterite, the way English says "I hope you arrived": ✗ espero que llegaste → espero que hayas llegado.
Llegues or hayas llegado: now, later or already over
After the same beginning (espero que, no creo que, me alegro de que) both forms are possible. Before the verb, ask yourself one question: is the action happening now or still ahead — or is it already over?
| When it happens | Form after que | Example |
|---|---|---|
| now or later | present subjunctive (llegue, haga) | Espero que llegues bien. — I hope you get there safely. |
| already happened | haya + past participle (haya llegado, haya hecho) | Espero que hayas llegado bien. — I hope you got there safely. |
Three more pairs:
- No creo que venga. — I don't think he'll come. No creo que haya venido. — I don't think he came.
- Me alegro de que estés aquí. — I'm glad you're here. Me alegro de que hayas estado aquí. — I'm glad you've been here.
- Ojalá encuentren la caja. — I hope they find the box. Ojalá hayan encontrado la caja. — I hope they've already found the box.
English shows the difference with tenses too: "you get there" — "you got there". In Spanish the pair llegues — hayas llegado does the same job.
Signal words are the same as for he hecho: ya, todavía no, hoy, esta semana. Next to them you almost always need haya + past participle:
- Espero que ya hayas cenado. — I hope you've already had dinner.
- Me extraña que todavía no hayan llamado. — It's strange that they still haven't called.
A common mistake is the present subjunctive for something that's already over. If your friend is already home and you write ✗ espero que llegues bien, it sounds as if she's still on the way. You need espero que hayas llegado bien.
Words in this unit
enterarse — to find out, to hear (about)
Me enteré de la noticia por una amiga. — I heard the news from a friend (female).
recuperar — to get back, to recover
Quiero recuperar mis cosas. — I want to get my things back.
localizar — to locate, to find, to reach (someone)
No puedo localizar mi paquete en la web. — I can't find my package on the website.
el seguimiento — tracking, follow-up
¿Tienes el número de seguimiento? — Do you have the tracking number?
el repartidor — delivery driver, delivery person
El repartidor ha dejado un aviso en el buzón. — The delivery driver has left a notice in the mailbox.
el contenido — contents, content
¿Cuál es el contenido de la caja? — What are the contents of the box?
contener — to contain, to hold
¿Qué contiene esta caja? — What does this box contain?
el objeto — object, item
Es un objeto muy pequeño. — It's a very small object.
el disco — record, album, disc
En la caja había discos de mi abuelo. — There were some of my grandfather's records in the box.
el álbum — album
El álbum de fotos estaba en la caja. — The photo album was in the box.
valioso — valuable, precious
Esta caja es muy valiosa para mí. — This box is very valuable to me.
la pérdida — loss
Quiero avisar de la pérdida de mi paquete. — I want to report the loss of my package.
dañar — to damage, to harm
La lluvia ha dañado la caja. — The rain has damaged the box.
intacto — intact, untouched
La caja llegó intacta. — The box arrived intact.
sano y salvo — safe and sound
El paquete llegó sano y salvo. — The package arrived safe and sound.
echar un vistazo — to take a look, to glance
Voy a echar un vistazo a las cajas. — I'm going to take a look at the boxes.
echar en falta — to miss, to notice something is missing
Echo en falta mi libro favorito. — I miss my favorite book.
dar señales de vida — to get in touch, to turn up, to show signs of life
Hace una semana que mi hermano no da señales de vida. — My brother hasn't been in touch for a week.
desde luego — of course, certainly
Desde luego, te ayudo con las cajas. — Of course I'll help you with the boxes.
poner una reclamación — to file a complaint
Voy a poner una reclamación en la tienda. — I'm going to file a complaint at the store.
inesperado — unexpected
Fue una visita inesperada. — It was an unexpected visit.
sorprendente — surprising, amazing
Es sorprendente que el paquete haya llegado tan rápido. — It's surprising that the package got here so fast.
el mensajero — courier, messenger
El mensajero trae el paquete mañana por la mañana. — The courier is bringing the package tomorrow morning.
el/la transportista — mover, carrier
El transportista llega entre las diez y las doce. — The mover is arriving between ten and twelve.
el reparto — delivery
El reparto es gratis a partir de cincuenta euros. — Delivery is free on orders of fifty euros or more.
la recogida — pickup, collection
La recogida del paquete es en la oficina de correos. — Package pickup is at the post office.
el almacén — warehouse
El paquete sigue en el almacén. — The package is still at the warehouse.
el bulto — piece (of luggage or freight), item, bundle
Son tres bultos: dos cajas y una bolsa. — That's three pieces: two boxes and a bag.
las pertenencias — belongings, possessions
Todas mis pertenencias están en esas cajas. — All my belongings are in those boxes.
agotar — to exhaust, to wear out, to use up
El viaje me agota. — The trip wears me out.
trasladar — to move, to transfer
Vamos a trasladar los muebles a la casa nueva. — We're going to move the furniture to the new house.
la mercancía — goods, merchandise, freight
La mercancía llegó ayer al almacén. — The goods arrived at the warehouse yesterday.
extraviarse — to get lost, to go missing
Se me ha extraviado el paquete. — My package has gone missing.
identificar — to identify, to recognize, to mark
Identifico mis cajas con una etiqueta. — I mark my boxes with a label.
acomodarse — to settle in, to make yourself comfortable
Me acomodo en el sofá con una manta. — I get comfortable on the couch with a blanket.
desembalar — to unpack
Hoy desembalo las cajas del salón. — Today I'm unpacking the living room boxes.
el descuido — oversight, carelessness, slip
Fue un descuido mío, perdona. — It was an oversight on my part, sorry.
rebuscar — to search through, to rummage
Rebusco en todos los cajones, pero no encuentro nada. — I search through all the drawers, but I can't find anything.
revolver — to go through, to turn upside down, to stir
Revuelvo todo el armario y no encuentro mi jersey. — I turn the whole closet upside down and I can't find my sweater.
aplastar — to crush, to squash
Alguien ha aplastado la caja del disco. — Someone has crushed the box with the record.
el precinto — packing tape, seal
El precinto de la caja estaba roto. — The packing tape on the box was broken.
el resguardo — receipt, claim slip
Guarda el resguardo del envío. — Keep the shipping receipt.
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