The main rule
Negative command = no + present subjunctive. Only tú changes from the affirmative (habla becomes no hables, come becomes no comas). Usted and ustedes keep the affirmative forms and just add no (hable / no hable, hablen / no hablen). Pronouns go before the verb: No lo toques, but Tócalo.
Regular forms
| Verb | tú affirmative | tú negative | usted negative | ustedes negative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| hablar | habla | no hables | no hable | no hablen |
| comer | come | no comas | no coma | no coman |
| escribir | escribe | no escribas | no escriba | no escriban |
English says "Don't speak" to everybody, with one verb form. Spanish picks the form by the listener, and for tú the vowel flips: -ar verbs take -es (no hables), -er and -ir verbs take -as (no comas, no escribas). The forms are the ones you know from the present subjunctive, with no in front.
Spelling and stem changes
To keep the sound of the stem, the spelling changes before -e: tocar gives no toques, llegar gives no llegues, cruzar gives no cruces. Writing no toces or no cruzes is a spelling error. Stem changes stay: no cierres, no vuelvas, no pidas.
Irregular verbs
| Verb | tú affirmative | tú negative | usted negative | ustedes negative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| hacer | haz | no hagas | no haga | no hagan |
| decir | di | no digas | no diga | no digan |
| poner | pon | no pongas | no ponga | no pongan |
| salir | sal | no salgas | no salga | no salgan |
| tener | ten | no tengas | no tenga | no tengan |
| venir | ven | no vengas | no venga | no vengan |
| ir | ve | no vayas | no vaya | no vayan |
| ser | sé | no seas | no sea | no sean |
| estar | está | no estés | no esté | no estén |
The short irregular tú forms (haz, di, pon) exist only in the affirmative. After no you always use the subjunctive: no hagas, never no haz.
Where the pronouns go
In an affirmative command the pronoun attaches to the end of the verb. In a negative command it stands before the verb, as a separate word. English never faces this choice, because "it" and "me" always follow the verb.
| Meaning | Affirmative | Negative |
|---|---|---|
| touch it (tú) | Tócalo | No lo toques |
| sit down (tú) | Siéntate | No te sientes |
| sit down (usted) | Siéntese | No se siente |
| call me (tú) | Llámame | No me llames |
| tell it to me (tú) | Dímelo | No me lo digas |
Attaching a pronoun moves the stress, so the written accent often appears. Add an accent when the stress falls on the third syllable from the end or earlier: tócalo, siéntese, cómpralo, dígamelo. Short forms need none: dame, ponlo, hazlo, dile. The negative adds no accent, because the verb stays alone: no lo toques.
Examples
- No toques el horno, Pablo, está caliente. Don't touch the oven, Pablo, it's hot.
- Señora López, no se preocupe, el médico llega enseguida. Mrs López, don't worry, the doctor will be here right away.
- Chicos, no corran por el pasillo. Kids, don't run in the corridor.
- No llegues tarde a la reunión, Marta. Don't be late for the meeting, Marta.
- No me llames antes de las ocho, por favor. Please don't call me before eight.
- No te sientes ahí, la silla está rota. Don't sit there, the chair is broken.
- No pierdas el billete, Luis. Don't lose your ticket, Luis.
- Esa carta es privada: no la abra, señor. That letter is private: don't open it, sir.
- No me lo digas ahora, estoy ocupada. Don't tell me now, I'm busy.
Signs and instructions
Signs use the infinitive: No fumar, No tocar. They speak to everybody at once, so they need no person. When you speak to a real person, switch to the subjunctive: No fume, por favor, No toques.
Vosotros in Spain
Friends in Madrid use a separate plural form: No habléis, No comáis, No os preocupéis. Just recognise it. In Latin America, and for polite groups in Spain, use ustedes: no hablen, no coman.
Common mistakes
No toca el cable, Pablo.No toques el cable, Pablo. One form for everybody is English; tú needs -es.No hable tan alto, Marta.No hables tan alto, Marta. No hable is for usted; a friend is tú.No tócalo.No lo toques. After no the pronoun goes before the verb.No preocúpate.No te preocupes. Reflexive pronoun first, subjunctive verb.No haz eso.No hagas eso. Irregular tú forms like haz are affirmative only.No toces la pantalla.No toques la pantalla. c becomes qu before e.Sientese aquí, señora.Siéntese aquí, señora. Stress on the third syllable from the end needs an accent.
Frequently asked questions
How do you say "don't" in Spanish commands?
Put no before the present subjunctive: no hables, no hable, no hablen. Choose the form by who you are addressing, not by the sentence.
Why does the negative imperative use the subjunctive?
Spanish has no negative imperative forms of its own, so it borrows the present subjunctive. For usted and ustedes this changes nothing, because their affirmative commands are already subjunctive forms.
Where does the pronoun go in a negative command?
Before the verb and apart from it: No lo toques, No te preocupes. In the affirmative it is attached: Tócalo, Preocúpate.
When does a command need a written accent?
When a pronoun is attached and the stress ends up on the third syllable from the end or earlier: tócalo, siéntese, dígamelo. Short forms such as dame or hazlo take none, and the negative never adds one.
How do I say "don't" to a group?
Use the ustedes form: no hablen, no coman, no escriban. In Spain you will also hear the vosotros form (no habléis) among friends.