Do you want to give negative commands in Spanish? Then you must learn the conjugation of the subjunctive mood. The following is the conjugation table for the "subjuntivo":
Subjunctive endings (regular verbs)
(-ar)
(-er)
(-ir)
-e
-emos
-a
-amos
-a
-amos
-es
-éis
-as
-áis
-as
-áis
-e
-en
-a
-an
-a
-an
-e
-en
-a
-an
-a
-an
I will not explain how and when we use the subjunctive in Spanish (you can find a detailed explanation here). For now, you must learn the conjugation.
The commands (regular verbs) for "tú"
estudiar:
(to study)
estudia
no estudies
comer:
(to eat)
come
no comas
abrir:
(to open)
abre
no abras
As you can see, giving negative orders in Spanish is pretty easy once you know the corresponding subjunctive forms:
Can it be this easy? Is there anything else you need to know about the negative commands? Well.... you need to know how to use the negative commands with reflexive verbs and object pronouns.
Remember how in Spanish affirmative commands we attach the pronouns to the verb? Well... this DOES NOT happen in the negative form. What we do instead is place the pronouns (again, IO first and DO second) BEFORE the verb. Note how we do not attach them to the verb:
- No te levantes. (Don´t get up.)
- No me pases el balón. (Don´t give me the ball.)
- No me lo pases. (Don´t give it to me.)
- No le digas la verdad. (Don´t tell him (her) the truth.)
- No te pongas ese sombrero. (Do not put on that hat.)
- No te lo pongas. (Do not put it on.)
- No le des dinero a ese hombre. (Do not give money to that man.)
- No se lo des. (Do not give it to him.)
Note again that the IO pronouns "le" and "les" becomse "se" when followed by DO pronouns.
Click here to practice the commands and many other
aspects of Spanish grammar.
