ELONIO
Log inSign up

Me dio vergüenza su hipocresía, como si hubiera olvidado su propio desprecio.

Me dio vergüenza su hipocresía, como si hubiera olvidado su propio desprecio.
His hypocrisy embarrassed me, as if he had forgotten his own disdain.
From Lesson 301:Hypothetical past comparisons (como si hubiera)·Spanish (Latin America)

Questions & Answers about Me dio vergüenza su hipocresía, como si hubiera olvidado su propio desprecio.

Why do we use hubiera olvidado (past perfect subjunctive) here instead of the imperfect subjunctive?
The phrase como si (as if) always requires a past subjunctive. We use the past perfect subjunctive (hubiera olvidado) because the hypothetical action of forgetting happened before the main action of embarrassing me. If we used the imperfect subjunctive (olvidara), it would mean "as if he were forgetting it right then."
How exactly does me dio vergüenza translate to "embarrassed me"?
In Spanish, you generally do not say a situation "embarrassed" you as a direct action. Instead, you use the verb dar (to give) with the noun vergüenza (shame or embarrassment). It works just like the verb gustar: the hypocrisy is the subject doing the giving, and me is the indirect object receiving the feeling. Literally, it means "His hypocrisy gave me shame."
Why is propio placed before desprecio instead of after it?
Placing propio before the noun emphasizes possession or contrast, perfectly translating to "his own disdain" (as opposed to someone else's). If it were placed after the noun, it would shift meaning to something like "suitable" or "characteristic," which does not fit this context.
How do we know su refers to "his" and not "her" or "their"?
Out of context, we do not! The possessive adjective su can mean his, her, its, your (formal), or their. You have to rely on the surrounding context of the conversation to know exactly whose hypocrisy and disdain is being discussed. The English translation just uses "his" to provide a complete and natural-sounding sentence.

Learn Me dio vergüenza su hipocresía, como si hubiera olvidado su propio desprecio and more in Spanish

All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.

  • ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
  • ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
  • ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free
Start learning Spanish →