Question 1

Why do we use fuera here instead of the present subjunctive like sea?

Accepted Answer

In Spanish, the phrase como si (as if) is always followed by a past subjunctive form. It is never followed by the present subjunctive or present indicative. Even though the yelling is happening right now in the present (grita), the comparison to an ogre is unreal and hypothetical, so we must use the imperfect subjunctive fuera.

Question 2

I recognize hombre, but what does the -ón ending in hombrón do?

Accepted Answer

The suffix -ón is an augmentative, which means it emphasizes a larger size or greater intensity. It turns hombre (man) into hombrón (big, imposing man). You will see this suffix often on everyday words in Spanish, like taza (mug) becoming tazón (bowl).

Question 3

Is fuera here the imperfect subjunctive of ser (to be) or ir (to go)?

Accepted Answer

It comes from ser (to be). The imperfect subjunctive forms for ser and ir are completely identical (fuera, fueras, fueran, etc.). You just have to look at the context to tell them apart. Since "as if he went an ogre" doesn't make sense, we know it translates to "as if he were an ogre."

Question 4

If we changed the sentence to the past tense ("That big man yelled as if he were an ogre"), would fuera change?

Accepted Answer

No, it would stay exactly the same! You would change the main verb to the past (gritó or gritaba), but you would still use fuera after como si. As long as the hypothetical action (being an ogre) happens at the same time as the main action (yelling), you use the imperfect subjunctive, no matter what tense the main verb is in.

Ese hombrón grita como si fuera un ogro feroz.

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