PAST SUBJUNTIVE

A.                FORMATION – the past subjunctive is formed from the present subjunctive of the auxiliary AVOIR or ETRE plus the past participle of the main verb.

. . . que j’aie regardé

. . . que nous soyons parti(e)s

. . . que tu te sois réveillé(e)

B.                 USAGE – The past subjunctive is a compound tense used to refer to actions or conditions that took place at any time prior to the verb in the main clause.

Il est content que je sois parti tôt.

He is happy that I left early.

Je doute qu’il ait acheté la moto hier.

I doubt he bought the motorcycle yesterday.

                                   Il est peu probable qu’il soit devenu anti-écologique.

                                   It’s very unlikely that he became anti-environmental.

NOTE:                   There is no future subjunctive in French. Future actions are expressed in the present subjunctive.