B2 · Unit 18 · 40 words, 2 texts with translation
Say that someone is pretending
Describe people who act as if nothing happened, tell hoping from wishing with ojalá, and talk about the characters, feelings and plot of a TV series.
Texts in this unit
Grammar in this unit
Como si + hiciera: "as if" when it isn't true
You already know the forms hiciera, tuviera, fuera — the imperfect subjunctive, also called the -ra form (unit 13) — and unreal if-sentences: si tuviera tiempo, iría (unit 17). Now the same form comes after two more words.
Why you need it. To say that someone acts in a way that doesn't match reality: he talks as if he knew everything; he says hi as if you were strangers. Spanish says como si, literally "as if". The si here is the same "if" as in if-sentences, so the verb form is the same too.
English does something similar: in "as if he knew" the verb looks like the past, but it's about now. Spanish puts the imperfect subjunctive in that spot.
A rule with no exceptions: after como si, always the imperfect subjunctive (hiciera). Never the normal form (indicative), never the present subjunctive. The tense of the first verb doesn't matter: Habla como si lo supiera todo — he talks as if he knew everything; Hablaba como si lo supiera todo — he talked as if he knew everything.
- Me saluda como si no pasara nada. — He greets me as if nothing were going on.
- Me trata como si fuéramos desconocidos. — He treats me as if we were strangers.
- El dueño habla como si el piso fuera nuevo. — The owner talks as if the apartment were new.
The same after ojalá. Ojalá + hiciera is a wish about something that isn't true now, like English "I wish": Ojalá estuvieras aquí. — I wish you were here (but you aren't). Ojalá tuviera más tiempo. — I wish I had more time. You already know ojalá pudiera (I wish I could): it works the same way.
For now: only "as if it is" and "as if he does". "As if he had already done it" needs a different form, which comes at the next level. Until then, the set phrase como si nada — as if nothing happened — helps out: Llegó tarde y se sentó como si nada. — He arrived late and sat down as if nothing happened.
A common mistake is the normal form, the way English might say "as if he knows": not ✗ habla como si lo sabe todo, but habla como si lo supiera todo. With this form a Spanish speaker shows that in reality it isn't so.
Ojalá venga or ojalá viniera: hoping or wishing
You already know that ojalá + present subjunctive means "I hope": ojalá no llueva — I hope it doesn't rain (B1, unit 18). Now there are two forms after ojalá, and your choice shows whether you believe in your own wish.
English makes the same split with two different verbs: I hope (it can happen) and I wish (it isn't so, or it probably won't happen).
| After ojalá | What you think | Example |
|---|---|---|
| present subjunctive (venga) | it can happen, I hope so | Ojalá venga Diego. — I hope Diego comes. |
| imperfect subjunctive (viniera) | it isn't so, or it probably won't happen | Ojalá viniera Diego. — I wish Diego would come. |
The normal form (indicative) never goes after ojalá.
How to check yourself. Try "I hope" in English. If it fits, use the present subjunctive. If "I wish" or "too bad it isn't so" is more honest, use the imperfect subjunctive.
- Ojalá apruebe el examen. — I hope I pass the exam (I studied, I have a chance).
- Ojalá aprobara sin estudiar. — I wish I could pass without studying (I know it's unlikely).
- Ojalá haga sol el sábado. — I hope it's sunny on Saturday.
- Ojalá viviera más cerca del mar. — I wish I lived closer to the sea (but I live far away).
- Ojalá fuera tan fácil. — I wish it were that easy (but it isn't).
It's not about the past. Ojalá viniera is a wish about now or the future. The form is "past" only in name, just like in si tuviera dinero (unit 17) and like "I wish I had" in English.
The listener hears the difference. Tell a friend ojalá me llamara — I wish he'd call — and she'll understand that you've stopped expecting the call. Tell her ojalá me llame — I hope he calls — and she'll understand that you're still hoping.
A common mistake is the conditional, because English "I wish he would come" has "would" in it: not ✗ ojalá vendría, but ojalá viniera. And watch the written accent: llamara means "I wish he'd call", while llamará is just "he'll call", and that form never goes after ojalá.
Words in this unit
como si — as if, as though
Habla como si lo supiera todo. — He talks as if he knew everything.
fingir — to pretend, to fake
Finjo que no lo veo. — I pretend I don't see him.
como si nada — as if nothing happened, as if it were nothing
Llegó tarde y se sentó como si nada. — He arrived late and sat down as if nothing happened.
ni que fuera — you'd think (he/she/it) was..., as if (he/she/it) were...
¡Ni que fuera el jefe! — You'd think he was the boss!
disimular — to hide (feelings), to cover up
Intento disimular que estoy nerviosa. — I'm trying to hide that I'm nervous (woman speaking).
ocultar — to hide, to conceal
No quiero ocultarte nada. — I don't want to hide anything from you.
alejarse — to move away, to drift apart, to pull away
Me alejo un poco para llamar por teléfono. — I'm stepping away for a bit to make a phone call.
enfrentarse — to face, to confront, to play against
Tengo que enfrentarme al problema. — I have to face the problem.
la ruptura — breakup
Su ruptura fue muy dura. — Their breakup was really hard.
dar la espalda — to turn your back (on)
Me da la espalda cuando le hablo. — He turns his back on me when I talk to him.
borrar — to erase, to delete
Borra el mensaje, por favor. — Delete the message, please.
el divorcio — divorce
Mis tíos han pedido el divorcio. — My aunt and uncle have filed for divorce.
el/la amante — lover, mistress
Lucía descubrió que su marido tenía una amante. — Lucía found out that her husband had a mistress.
la cicatriz — scar
Tengo una cicatriz en la rodilla. — I have a scar on my knee.
la pasión — passion
Siente pasión por el cine. — He has a passion for movies.
el sufrimiento — suffering
No quiero más sufrimiento. — I don't want any more suffering.
la tragedia — tragedy
El incendio fue una tragedia para todo el barrio. — The fire was a tragedy for the whole neighborhood.
el/la adolescente — teenager, adolescent
Mi hija es adolescente y siempre está con el móvil. — My daughter is a teenager and she's always on her phone.
cruel — cruel
Fue muy cruel con ella. — He was very cruel to her.
noble — noble
Es un hombre noble y generoso. — He's a noble and generous man.
poderoso — powerful
Es un hombre muy poderoso en la ciudad. — He's a very powerful man in the city.
ciego — blind
Mi abuela se está quedando ciega. — My grandmother is going blind.
la cadena — TV channel, chain
¿Qué cadena quieres ver? — What channel do you want to watch?
la moda — fashion
Esa chaqueta ya no está de moda. — That jacket isn't in fashion anymore.
rodar — to film, to shoot (a movie), to roll
Van a rodar una película en mi barrio. — They're going to shoot a movie in my neighborhood.
basarse — to be based (on), to base (on)
La serie se basa en hechos reales. — The series is based on real events.
el espectador — viewer, spectator
Los espectadores aplauden al final. — The spectators applaud at the end.
la audiencia — audience, ratings
La serie tiene mucha audiencia. — The series has a large audience.
fascinante — fascinating
Es una historia fascinante. — It's a fascinating story.
impactante — shocking, striking
El final de la serie es muy impactante. — The ending of the series is really striking.
realista — realistic, realist
Es una película muy realista. — It's a very realistic movie.
el suspense — suspense
Me gustan las películas de suspense. — I like suspense movies.
la intriga — intrigue, mystery
La serie es una historia de intriga y amor. — The series is a story of intrigue and love.
el villano — villain
El villano de la película es muy cruel. — The villain in the movie is very cruel.
el trauma — trauma
Ese accidente le dejó un trauma. — That accident left him with trauma.
esquivar — to dodge, to avoid
Esquivo las preguntas difíciles. — I dodge difficult questions.
la ficción — fiction
Me gusta la ficción más que los documentales. — I like fiction more than documentaries.
la interpretación — performance, interpretation
La interpretación de la actriz es perfecta. — The actress's performance is perfect.
quedarse de piedra — to be stunned, to be speechless
Me quedé de piedra cuando lo vi. — I was stunned when I saw him.
obra maestra — masterpiece
Esa película es una obra maestra. — That movie is a masterpiece.
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