Question 1

Why is "by eating" translated as just the gerund comiendo instead of something like "por comer"?

Accepted Answer

In English, we often use "by" plus an -ing verb to show how an action is accomplished. In Spanish, the gerund alone (like comiendo) expresses this method or means. You don't need to add a preposition before it.

Question 2

Why does aunque take the imperfect subjunctive (ardiera) here instead of the past indicative (ardía)?

Accepted Answer

Aunque takes the indicative to declare a confirmed, new fact ("even though it burned"). It takes the subjunctive for hypotheticals ("even if it burned") or to treat a fact as background information. Using the imperfect subjunctive ardiera frames the burning as an obstacle that wasn't going to stop the speaker, effectively meaning "even if my palate were to burn."

Question 3

Why is it me ardiera el paladar instead of ardiera mi paladar?

Accepted Answer

When talking about body parts, Spanish usually avoids possessive adjectives like mi (my). Instead, it uses an indirect object pronoun (me) to show who is affected by the action, alongside the definite article (el) for the body part itself. Literally, it translates closer to "the palate burned to me."

Question 4

Is ardiera the only correct form here, or could I use the other past subjunctive ending?

Accepted Answer

You can absolutely use the other form! Ardiera and ardiese are completely interchangeable in meaning and grammar, though the -ra ending is much more common in everyday spoken Latin American Spanish.

Aumenté mi tolerancia comiendo ají, aunque me ardiera el paladar.

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