tivesse sido

had been

→ ter

phrase Rare #30,960

had been Used in the subjunctive/conditional past to talk about a past action or state that happened before another past point.

PO: Eu pensei que ele tivesse sido informado antes da reunião.

EN: I thought he had been informed before the meeting.

Foi como se tivesse sido atingido por um raio.

It was as if I had been struck by lightning.

— A Lenda do Pianista do Mar (1998)

Sim, mas esperava que ela tivesse sido expulsa ou usando drogas.

Yes, but I expected her to have been expelled or to be using drugs.

— Juno (2007)

Se alguma tivesse sido queimada, eu teria notado.

If any had been burned, I would have noticed.

— Em Chamas (2018)

Talvez o mundo fosse melhor se o carro nunca tivesse sido inventado.

Perhaps the world would be a better place if the car had never been invented.

Ele teria morrido se tivesse sido deixado no chão.

He would have died if he had been left on the ground.

— Broker - Uma Nova Chance (2022)

O colégio entraria em contato caso tivesse sido expulsa.

The school would have contacted us if she had been expelled.

— Juno (2007)

Achei que tivesse sido envenenada!

I thought I had been poisoned!

— As Travessuras de uma Sereia (2016)

Como se minha vida de padre tivesse sido vivida em pecado.

As if my life as a priest had been lived in sin.

— Conclave (2024)

phrase Rare #33,003

had been A form of ser used for hypothetical or uncertain past situations. Often appears in clauses beginning with se, meaning “if it had been.”

PO: Se tivesse sido mais cuidadoso, não teria quebrado o copo.

EN: If you had been more careful, you wouldn’t have broken the glass.

Se não tivesse sido por sua ajuda, eu teria perdido o jogo.

If it hadn't been for your help, I would have lost the game.

Foi como se tivesse sido transformada.

It was as if she had been transformed.

— Adeus, Lênin! (2003)

Talvez tivesse sido melhor ir ao bar.

Perhaps it would have been better to go to the bar.

— Um Dia Muito Especial (1977)

Se tivesse sido comigo, você estaria na cadeia.

If it had been me, you'd be in jail.

— Ladrões de Bicicleta (1948)

Se ele tivesse sido cuidadoso, o terrível acidente não teria acontecido.

If he had been careful, the terrible accident would not have happened.

Queria que ele tivesse sido mais cuidadoso ao falar.

I wish he had been more careful when speaking.

Oh Deus, se pelo menos tivesse sido uma outra cidade.

Oh God, if only it had been another city.

— Ирония судьбы, или С легким паром! (1976)