In this lesson, we will delve into the negative imperative in Spanish, also known as ‘imperativo negativo.’ This command form is essential for expressing prohibitions or telling someone not to do something. You will learn how to correctly form negative commands, discover irregular verbs that follow unique patterns, and practice using object pronouns within these commands. Whether for formal or informal use, mastering the negative imperative will greatly enhance your Spanish communication skills, enabling you to express yourself more clearly and effectively in various conversational contexts.
Objectives:
- Understand the formation of the negative imperative in Spanish for giving commands.
- Identify and learn the conjugation of irregular verbs in the negative imperative.
- Practice incorporating object pronouns with negative commands to enhance fluency and accuracy in real-life situations.
Forming the Negative Imperative:
The negative imperative is used to tell someone not to do something. The endings of the negative imperative are similar to the present subjunctive. Here’s how to form it:
-ar verbs:
- tú: no hables
- usted: no hable
- nosotros/-as: no hablemos
- vosotros/-as: no habléis
- ustedes: no hablen
-er verbs:
- tú: no comas
- usted: no coma
- nosotros/-as: no comamos
- vosotros/-as: no comáis
- ustedes: no coman
-ir verbs:
- tú: no escribas
- usted: no escriba
- nosotros/-as: no escribamos
- vosotros/-as: no escribáis
- ustedes: no escriban
Irregular Verbs in Negative Imperative
Now, we will focus on irregular verbs in the negative imperative form. Unlike regular verbs, which follow a predictable pattern, irregular verbs have unique conjugations in the negative imperative. These verbs include highly irregular verbs like “ser,” “estar,” and “ir,” as well as verbs that are irregular in the present indicative. Understanding these unique conjugations is key to effectively giving negative commands in Spanish.
| Verbs | Tú | Usted | Nosotros/-as | Vosotros/-as | Ustedes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ser | no seas | no sea | no seamos | no seáis | no sean |
| Estar | no estés | no esté | no estemos | no estéis | no estén |
| Ir | no vayas | no vaya | no vayamos | no vayáis | no vayan |
| Saber | no sepas | no sepa | no sepamos | no sepáis | no sepan |
The verbs “dar” (to give) and “haber” (to have) are also irregular in the negative imperative. Here are their conjugations:
| Verbs | Tú | Usted | Nosotros/-as | Vosotros/-as | Ustedes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dar | no des | no dé | no demos | no deis | no den |
| Haber | no hayas | no haya | no hayamos | no hayáis | no hayan |
Irregular Verbs in Present (Indicative)
If the verb is irregular in the first-person singular of the present tense, all the forms in the negative imperative will have the same irregularity.
Example: “tener” (to have):
- tú: no tengas
- usted: no tenga
- nosotros/-as: no tengamos
- vosotros/-as: no tengáis
- ustedes: no tengan
Here are some examples of other common irregular verbs:
| Personal Pronouns | Tú | Él/Ella/Usted | Nosotros/-as | Vosotros/-as | Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tener | no tengas | no tenga | no tengamos | no tengáis | no tengan |
| Decir | no digas | no diga | no digamos | no digáis | no digan |
| Poner | no pongas | no ponga | no pongamos | no pongáis | no pongan |
| Hacer | no hagas | no haga | no hagamos | no hagáis | no hagan |
| Salir | no salgas | no salga | no salgamos | no salgáis | no salgan |
| Traer | no traigas | no traiga | no traigamos | no traigáis | no traigan |
| Ver | no veas | no vea | no veamos | no veáis | no vean |
| Venir | no vengas | no venga | no vengamos | no vengáis | no vengan |
Position of Object Pronouns
In negative commands, object pronouns are placed before the verb:
- ¡No os olvidéis! (Don’t forget!)
- ¡No lo rompas! (Do not break it!)
- ¡No se lo muestres! (Don’t show it to her!)