Breakdown of Como decidas deducir más de tu ingreso, vas a recibir una sanción.
de
from / of
una
a, an (feminine)
tu
your
decidir
to decide
Questions & Answers about Como decidas deducir más de tu ingreso, vas a recibir una sanción.
Why is como used here instead of si for "if"?
In Spanish, using como with the present subjunctive creates a conditional statement that carries a strong warning or a threat. While si decides is a neutral "if you decide," como decidas sounds much stronger, more like "if you even think about deciding" or "should you decide."
Why is decidir conjugated in the subjunctive (decidas)?
The word como triggers the subjunctive when it is used to introduce a warning or threat. It frames the action as a hypothetical situation that the speaker is warning you against doing. (Note: if you used si here, it would take the normal present indicative: si decides).
Can I use the simple future tense (recibirás) instead of vas a recibir?
Yes! When making a threat or warning with como + present subjunctive, the consequence is almost always in the future. You can use either the informal future (vas a recibir) or the simple future (recibirás). Both are completely natural, though the informal future is extremely common in everyday spoken Spanish.
Does sanción mean the exact same thing as the English word "sanction"?