Breakdown of Como me desobedezcan, no van a recibir el dinero.
no
no, not
recibir
to receive
ir
to go
a
to
el dinero
the money
me
to me / me (direct object)
como
if (as a warning/threat)
desobedecer
to disobey
Questions & Answers about Como me desobedezcan, no van a recibir el dinero.
Why is como translated as "if" here instead of "like" or "as"?
When como is followed by the subjunctive, it creates a conditional clause that expresses a warning or a threat. In this sentence, como me desobedezcan basically means "if you dare disobey me" or "if you happen to disobey me." It carries a much stronger sense of consequence than a simple si (if).
Why do we use the subjunctive desobedezcan after como?
In Spanish, when como is used to issue a threat or warning, it strictly requires the subjunctive mood. If we used the indicative here, como would just mean "since" or "because" (for example, como me desobedecen would mean "since you guys disobey me"). The subjunctive is what triggers the conditional threat.
Why does desobedezcan have a z in it?
This is a spelling change that happens with verbs ending in -ecer, like desobedecer or conocer. The c changes to zc before an a or an o. Since the present subjunctive endings for -er verbs start with a, you get desobedezcan to maintain the correct sound.
How do we know the subject of desobedezcan is plural "you" and not "they"?
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