Question 1

Why is the past perfect subjunctive (hubiera dormido) used here instead of the imperfect subjunctive (durmiera)?

Accepted Answer

We use the past perfect subjunctive because the indignant reaction is about an event that supposedly already happened ('had slept'). If you were reacting to a present or ongoing situation ('As if he were sleeping in that coffin!'), you would use the imperfect subjunctive: ¡Ni que el conde durmiera en ese ataúd sucio!

Question 2

What is the literal meaning of ¡ni que!, and why does it mean 'As if!'?

Accepted Answer

Literally, it translates to something like 'not even that' or 'nor that.' It is a fixed idiom used to express sarcastic disbelief or indignation, similar to 'It is not as if...' or 'As if...' in English. Because it sets up a hypothetical or rejected reality, it always requires a past-tense subjunctive.

Question 3

Could I use hubiese instead of hubiera in this sentence?

Accepted Answer

Yes, hubiera dormido and hubiese dormido mean the exact same thing. In Latin America, the -ra endings (like hubiera) are much more common in everyday spoken Spanish, but hubiese is grammatically correct and widely understood.

Question 4

Why is ataúd masculine (ese ataúd) when most Spanish words ending in '-d' are feminine?

Accepted Answer

While it is a great rule of thumb that nouns ending in '-d' (like la ciudad or la verdad) are feminine, ataúd is an exception. It is always masculine: el ataúd. Another common masculine exception ending in '-d' that you might already know is el césped (the lawn).

¡Ni que el conde hubiera dormido en ese ataúd sucio!

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