Question 1

Why do we use the Past Perfect Subjunctive (hubiera tocado) after como si in this sentence?

Accepted Answer

The phrase como si (as if) always triggers a past subjunctive tense because it introduces a hypothetical or unreal situation. We use the Past Perfect Subjunctive (hubiera tocado) here because the imaginary action of the ghost touching her happened right before or at the exact moment she felt the shiver. It translates naturally to the English past perfect: "as if it had touched her."

Question 2

Can I use hubiese tocado instead of hubiera tocado?

Accepted Answer

Yes, absolutely. The -ra (hubiera) and -se (hubiese) forms of the past subjunctive are completely interchangeable. In spoken Spanish in Spain, the -ra form is generally more common, but both are grammatically correct and mean the exact same thing.

Question 3

Why is the pronoun la used in la hubiera tocado instead of le?

Accepted Answer

The verb tocar (to touch) takes a direct object here because "she" is the entity directly receiving the physical action of being touched. While speakers in Spain often use le for male direct objects (a practice called leísmo), the standard direct object pronoun for a female is la.

Question 4

Is an escalofrío only a shiver caused by fear?

Accepted Answer

No, an escalofrío can be caused by fear, cold, or even an illness like a fever. It translates well to "shiver" or "chill." While the context of an apparition makes it a spooky chill in this sentence, you will also hear people say things like tengo escalofríos when they are coming down with the flu.

Ella sintió un escalofrío, como si una aparición la hubiera tocado.

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