Grammar Focus
Past Perfect (Υπερσυντέλικος)
We use the Past Perfect to show that one past action happened before another past action.
I had finished before she arrived.They had eaten when I came.
1. When do we use Past Perfect?
📘 Theory (Θεωρία)
The Past Perfect (Υπερσυντέλικος) shows the earlier of two past actions.
- First action: I had finished my homework.
- Second action: My friend called me.
- Full sentence: I had finished my homework before my friend called me.
✅ Examples
- When we arrived, the film had started. → Όταν φτάσαμε, η ταινία είχε αρχίσει.
- She had cleaned her room before her mum came home. → Είχε καθαρίσει το δωμάτιό της πριν γυρίσει η μαμά της.
- They had already eaten when I got there. → Είχαν ήδη φάει όταν έφτασα εκεί.
2. Form (Σχηματισμός)
| Type | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Affirmative (Κατάφαση) | Subject + had + past participle | I had finished. |
| Negative (Άρνηση) | Subject + hadn’t + past participle | She hadn’t arrived. |
| Question (Ερώτηση) | Had + subject + past participle? | Had they eaten? |
Remember: We use the past participle, the 3rd form of the verb: go – went – gone, see – saw – seen, eat – ate – eaten.
3. Useful words
- before: I had left before he arrived.
- after: After she had studied, she watched TV.
- when: When I got home, Dad had cooked dinner.
- already: They had already finished.
- by the time: By the time we arrived, the shop had closed.
4. Past Perfect vs Past Simple
| Past Perfect | Past Simple |
|---|---|
| The earlier past action | The later past action |
| I had finished my homework | before I went out. |
Compare
- When I arrived, the lesson started. → I arrived first, then the lesson started.
- When I arrived, the lesson had started. → The lesson started first, then I arrived.
5. Practice
A. Complete with the Past Perfect.
- She __________ (finish) her homework before dinner.
- They __________ (leave) before we arrived.
- I __________ (not/see) the film before.
- Had you __________ (eat) lunch?
B. Choose the correct tense.
- When I got home, Mum cooked / had cooked dinner.
- After he had cleaned / cleaned his room, he played games.
- They had gone / went to bed before midnight.
C. Make sentences.
- I / finish homework / before / I go out → __________________________
- She / eat breakfast / before / she go to school → __________________________
- They / leave / when / we arrive → __________________________
✅ Show answers
A
- had finished
- had left
- hadn’t seen
- eaten
B
- had cooked
- had cleaned
- had gone
C
- I had finished my homework before I went out.
- She had eaten breakfast before she went to school.
- They had left when we arrived.
🎬 Past Perfect Videos
Watch the theory first, then practise with grammar games and quizzes.