Learn Spanish (Latin America): El calor es tan sofocante que me siento aturdido. - The heat is so suffocating that I feel dazed.

El calor es tan sofocante que me siento aturdido.

The heat is so suffocating that I feel dazed.

Breakdown of El calor es tan sofocante que me siento aturdido.

to me / me (direct object)

Questions & Answers about El calor es tan sofocante que me siento aturdido.

Why do we use tan here instead of tanto?

We use tan because it is followed by the adjective sofocante. In Spanish, tan is used before adjectives and adverbs to mean so. If we were modifying a noun to say so much, we would use tanto. For example, if you wanted to say there is so much heat, you would say hace tanto calor que.

Why is it me siento instead of just siento?

You must use the reflexive verb sentirse when describing your own physical or emotional state, which is why we need the pronoun me. The non-reflexive sentir is used when you are feeling an external noun, like siento el calor (I feel the heat).

Why is the verb siento in the indicative rather than the subjunctive after que?

The structure tan plus an adjective plus que introduces a consequence that is an actual fact. Because feeling dazed is the real, stated result of the heat right now, we use the indicative siento. You would only need the subjunctive if the first part of the sentence was negative, casting doubt on the consequence, or if the consequence was just a hypothetical goal.

Is aturdido only used for physical dizziness?

No, aturdido can mean physically dazed, dizzy, or stunned, but it is also widely used for feeling mentally overwhelmed, bewildered, or confused by an intense situation, too much information, or loud noises.