Breakdown of Pon el explosivo en la caja, como he dicho.
en
in / on / at
la caja
the box
poner
to put
como
as / like (such as, similar to)
decir
to say, to tell
haber
(auxiliary) have
el explosivo
the explosive
Questions & Answers about Pon el explosivo en la caja, como he dicho.
Why does como trigger the indicative (he dicho) here, when our current lesson is about como with the subjunctive?
Because this specific clause isn't a threat! Here, como simply means "as" or "in the way that" based on a stated fact, so it takes the indicative. It only triggers the subjunctive when used as a conditional warning, like Como dejes caer el explosivo, explotará (If you drop the explosive, it will blow up).
Pon is the affirmative command. Just as a quick refresher, how would I make this negative ("Don't put")?
You would use the present subjunctive: No pongas el explosivo. The short, irregular form pon is strictly for affirmative tú commands.
The sentence uses the present perfect (he dicho). Would Latin American speakers use the simple past (dije) here instead?
Could I use tal como instead of just como in this sentence?
Yes, you can say tal como he dicho. Adding tal adds emphasis, meaning "exactly as I have said" or "just as I have said." Given the serious context of handling an explosive, that extra strictness fits perfectly!
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