Breakdown of ¡Ni que el conde bebiera de un vaso asqueroso!
de
from / of
un
a, an (masculine)
beber
to drink
el vaso
the glass
que
that / than
ni
nor / not even
asqueroso
disgusting
el conde
the count
Questions & Answers about ¡Ni que el conde bebiera de un vaso asqueroso!
Why do we use the imperfect subjunctive bebiera right after ¡Ni que!?
The phrase ¡ni que! is used to indignantly reject an idea by comparing it to an absurd hypothetical. Because it sets up a fake 'as if' scenario, it triggers the subjunctive. We use the imperfect subjunctive (bebiera) to talk about a present or general situation: 'As if he would drink...'
If I wanted to say 'As if the count had drunk from a disgusting glass!', how would this sentence change?
Can ¡ni que! ever be followed by the present subjunctive beba since we are talking about a present situation?
No, and this is a strict rule! Even when rejecting a present idea, ¡ni que! only ever takes a past subjunctive form (imperfect like bebiera, or past perfect like hubiera bebido). The present subjunctive is never used with this phrase because the scenario is treated as completely contrary to reality.
Why does the sentence use de un vaso instead of en un vaso to mean 'from a glass'?
In Spanish, the preposition de is used to indicate the source or origin of something. When talking about the container you are drinking out of, beber de is the standard and natural way to express 'to drink from.'
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