Question 1

Why is saltase used here instead of a regular past tense like saltó?

Accepted Answer

The phrase no creía que expresses doubt or a negative belief in the past. Just like how no creo que triggers the present subjunctive, expressing that same doubt in the past triggers the past subjunctive, which is why we use saltase.

Question 2

How exactly do we form the -ase ending for saltase?

Accepted Answer

To form the past subjunctive, you start with the third-person plural of the preterite tense. For saltar, that is saltaron. Drop the -ron at the end, and add the new ending. For regular -ar verbs in the third-person singular, the ending is -se, giving us saltase.

Question 3

Since saltase is the third-person form, could it also apply to the first person?

Accepted Answer

Yes! In the past subjunctive, the yo and él/ella/usted forms are completely identical. Saltase can refer to me, him, her, or you formal. We know it applies to a third party here because the subject performing the jump is explicitly la trapecista.

Question 4

Why do we use por in por el aro?

Accepted Answer

The preposition por has many uses, but here it indicates movement through a physical space. When someone jumps through a hoop, walks through a door, or strolls through a park, you use por.

Question 5

Is the word for trapeze artist always trapecista with an a at the end?

Accepted Answer

Yes, professions and descriptive words ending in -ista like dentista or turista do not change their spelling based on gender. We only know this trapeze artist is a woman because of the feminine article la in front of it. A male trapeze artist would be el trapecista.

No creía que la trapecista saltase por el aro.

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