# Sequence of tenses: which subjunctive after which verb

> id: conjugation.subjunctive.sequence-of-tenses · category: conjugation · depth: standard · levels: B2, C1 · review: internally_reviewed

**Summary.** Present-frame triggers take the present or perfect subjunctive (quiero que vengas; dudo que haya llegado); past or conditional frames take the imperfect or pluperfect (quería que vinieras; habría preferido que hubieras llamado).

The main verb sets the frame. Frame 1 — present, future, present perfect, or imperative: the subordinate subjunctive is present (simultaneous/future: quiero que vengas) or perfect (anterior: me alegra que hayas venido).

Frame 2 — preterite, imperfect, pluperfect, or conditional: the subordinate is imperfect subjunctive (quería que vinieras; me gustaría que vinieras) or pluperfect for anteriority (lamenté que no hubieras llamado).

The logic is relative time, not mechanical matching: a present trigger can look at the past (no creo que fuera él — 'I don't think it was him') when the subordinate event itself is past.

## Examples
- Quiero que me llames mañana. — I want you to call me tomorrow. *(Present frame → present subjunctive.)*
- Quería que me llamaras. — I wanted you to call me. *(Past frame → imperfect subjunctive.)*
- Me gustaría que estuvieras aquí. — I would like you to be here. *(Conditional frame → imperfect subjunctive.)*

Related: conjugation.subjunctive.present-regular, conjugation.subjunctive.imperfect, conjugation.subjunctive.perfect, conjugation.subjunctive.pluperfect

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