Negative Imperative
B1Imperative and verb phrases 6 min
The negative imperative is no with the present subjunctive: no hables, no comas, no hable, no hablen. Pronouns go between no and the verb: No lo toques. No te vayas.
No information at the current level. This view starts at B1: choose B1 or a higher level.
No information at the current level. This view starts at B1: choose B1 or a higher level.
CheatsheetB1
| Point | Rule | Example | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| Form | tú: -ar verbs end in es, -er and -ir verbs in as | No hables tan alto. | Don't speak so loudly. |
| Form | usted / ustedes: the affirmative form after no | No fume aquí, por favor. | Please don't smoke here. |
| Form | vosotros: -ar verbs end in éis, -er and -ir verbs in áis | No habléis tan alto. | Don't speak so loudly. |
| Irregular verbs | the stem of the yo form: no digas / no hagas / no vengas | No digas eso. | Don't say that. |
| Pronouns | before the verb, after no | No lo toques. | Don't touch it. |
| Use | prohibitions and warnings | No toques el horno: está caliente. | Don't touch the oven: it's hot. |
| Use | advice and reassurance | No te preocupes. | Don't worry. |
| Trap | the negative never takes the affirmative form: ven → no vengas | No vengas tarde. | Don't come late. |
| Trap | the pronoun moves before the verb: siéntate → no te sientes | No te sientes ahí. | Don't sit there. |
OverviewB1
- Every negative imperative is no with the present subjunctive.
- The usted and ustedes forms stay as in the affirmative, after no: No hable tan rápido, por favor. — Please don't speak so fast.
- Latin America: ustedes speaks to every group, friends included: No corran, niños. — Don't run, kids.
- Spain: vosotros speaks to friends and family: No corráis, niños. — Don't run, kids.
- The forms in full: Present Subjunctive: Forms.
Form: regular verbsB1
| Person | hablar | comer | escribir |
|---|---|---|---|
| tú | no hables | no comas | no escribas |
| usted | no hable | no coma | no escriba |
| vosotros / vosotras | no habléis | no comáis | no escribáis |
| ustedes | no hablen | no coman | no escriban |
- -ar verbs take e in the ending, -er and -ir verbs take a: No hables tan alto. / No comas tan rápido. — Don't speak so loudly. / Don't eat so fast.
- The tú form adds s to the usted form: no hable → no hables.
- Spain: The vosotros form carries a written accent: habléis / comáis: No escribáis en el libro. — Don't write in the book.
Form: irregular verbsB1
| Verb | Affirmative | Negative |
|---|---|---|
| decir | di | no digas |
| hacer | haz | no hagas |
| poner | pon | no pongas |
| salir | sal | no salgas |
| tener | ten | no tengas |
| venir | ven | no vengas |
| ir | ve | no vayas |
| ser | sé | no seas |
| cerrar | cierra | no cierres |
| volver | vuelve | no vuelvas |
| pedir | pide | no pidas |
- The negative takes the stem of the yo form of the present: tengo → no tengas, digo → no digas.
- ir and ser have stems of their own: no vayas / no seas.
Spelling: c, g and zB1
| Verb | Change | Example | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| -car | c → qu | No toques eso. | Don't touch that. |
| -gar | g → gu | No llegues tarde. | Don't be late. |
| -zar | z → c | No empieces sin mí. | Don't start without me. |
- Before e, the spelling changes so the verb keeps its sound.
Pronouns before the verbB1
| Affirmative | Negative |
|---|---|
| Cómpralo. — Buy it. | No lo compres. — Don't buy it. |
| Siéntate. — Sit down. | No te sientes. — Don't sit down. |
| Dímelo. — Tell me it. | No me lo digas. — Don't tell me that. |
| Levántense, por favor. — Stand up, please. | No se levanten, por favor. — Please don't stand up. |
- In the negative, pronouns leave the end of the verb and go between no and the verb.
- Two pronouns keep their order: me lo / te lo / se lo.
- The written accent of the affirmative disappears in the negative: cómpralo → no lo compres.
UseB1
| Use | Example | English |
|---|---|---|
| Prohibitions | No fumes aquí. | Don't smoke here. |
| Warnings | No toques el horno: está caliente. | Don't touch the oven: it's hot. |
| Advice | No bebas café por la noche. | Don't drink coffee at night. |
| Reassurance | No te preocupes. / No se preocupe. | Don't worry. / Don't worry. |
| Requests | No hagas ruido, por favor: el bebé duerme. | Please don't make a noise: the baby is asleep. |
- Signs and instructions for everyone use no with the infinitive: No fumar. / No tocar. — No smoking. / Do not touch.
Typical errorsB1
| ✗ | ✓ | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| No habla tan alto. | No hables tan alto. | the negative takes the subjunctive: no hables |
| No ven tarde. | No vengas tarde. | the negative of ven is no vengas |
| No tócalo. | No lo toques. | the pronoun goes after no, before the verb |
| No te preocupas. | No te preocupes. | preocuparse takes e in the negative |
| No preocupes. | No te preocupes. | the reflexive pronoun stays: te |
| No lleges tarde. | No llegues tarde. | before e, g becomes gu |