Learn Hardcore Spanish (Spain): La fiebre bajó de repente y pude dormir. - The fever went down suddenly and I was able to sleep.

Spanish often uses the definite article with illnesses and body conditions when the possessor is obvious. La fiebre here naturally means the fever you had. Mi fiebre sounds odd unless you’re contrasting with someone else’s, and una fiebre is rare (you’d only use it to mean a specific bout or type of fever, which is not needed here).

Why is the preterite bajó used instead of bajaba?

The preterite (bajó) presents a completed event with a clear endpoint. The phrase de repente (suddenly) reinforces that it was a punctual change. Bajaba would describe an ongoing process or background situation, not a sudden drop.

What nuance does pude dormir have compared to podía dormir?

With poder, the preterite usually implies achievement: pude dormir suggests you managed to sleep (and did). The imperfect podía dormir describes having the ability or possibility to sleep, without necessarily saying you actually slept.

Could I say pude dormirme instead of pude dormir?

Yes, but the nuance changes. Pude dormir = you were able to sleep (focus on the activity). Pude dormirme = you managed to fall asleep (focus on the moment of drifting off). Both work here; choose the one that best matches what you want to emphasize.

When would I say dormí instead of pude dormir?

Dormí simply states the fact you slept. Pude dormir highlights that some obstacle (like the fever) had prevented sleep and you were finally able to do it. Use pude dormir when you want that sense of overcoming a hurdle.

Is de repente idiomatic here? Any alternatives in Spain?

Yes, very idiomatic. Common alternatives:

de pronto (very common)
de golpe (colloquial)
repentinamente (more formal)
de súbito (formal/literary) All mean “suddenly,” with slightly different registers.

Where can I place de repente in the sentence?

Default: after the verb it modifies: La fiebre bajó de repente y pude dormir.
At the start, with a comma: De repente, la fiebre bajó y pude dormir. Avoid placing it so it attaches to the wrong verb. For example, … y de repente pude dormir makes the suddenness apply to your being able to sleep, not to the fever dropping.

Is me bajó la fiebre or se me bajó la fiebre more natural than la fiebre bajó?

In everyday speech about yourself, me bajó la fiebre and se me bajó la fiebre are very natural in Spain; they foreground that it happened to you. La fiebre bajó is correct but more impersonal, like a neutral report. Avoid la fiebre se bajó, which sounds odd here.

Why isn’t there a subject pronoun with pude? Can I say yo pude?

Spanish drops subject pronouns when the verb ending makes the subject clear. Pude already tells us it’s first person singular. You can say yo pude for emphasis or contrast (e.g., others couldn’t).

Could I use the present perfect in Spain: La fiebre me ha bajado de repente y he podido dormir?

Yes. In Peninsular Spanish, the present perfect is common for events within the current time frame (today/tonight) or with current relevance. Use ha bajado / he podido if you’re talking about something that happened recently and is still relevant now.

Can I use a different verb than bajó for fever?

Yes:

remitió (medical/formal): La fiebre remitió.
disminuyó (neutral): La fiebre disminuyó.
Very natural colloquially: Se me pasó la fiebre / Se me quitó la fiebre. Also note transitive uses: El paracetamol me bajó la fiebre (the medicine lowered my fever).

Is de required in de repente?

Yes. De repente is a fixed expression. You can’t say repente alone, nor en repente.

Would así que or entonces be better than y to show cause and effect?

They can be clearer:

La fiebre bajó de repente, así que pude dormir. (explicit consequence)
La fiebre bajó de repente, y entonces pude dormir. (then, as a result) Y is fine but only links the two events without highlighting causality.

Any quick pronunciation or accent tips for this sentence?

bajó has an accent and stress on the last syllable; it differs from bajo (no accent).
pude has no accent; the d is soft between vowels.
fiebre is two syllables: FYE-bre.
Spanish j in bajó is a guttural sound; the r in dormir is a single tap.