3B – El imperativo negativo

Negative Commands

A. El imperativo formal

Just add “No” to make the command negative.(Just add –n on to the verb to make the command

plural. Add “Uds” if you wish.)

Affirmative Negative• Hable No hable(n) Ud(s)• Coma No coma • Duerma No duerma• Pague No pague• Comience No comience• Haga No haga• Oiga No oiga• Ponga No ponga• Vaya No vaya

B. “Let’s” Commands

Just add “No” to make the “Let’s” command negative.

Affirmative Negative

• Hablemos – Let’s talk No hablemos – Let’s not talk• Comamos No comamos• Durmamos No durmamos• Paguemos No paguemos• Comencemos No comencemos• Hagamos No hagamos• Oigamos No oigamos• Pongamos No pongamos• Tengamos No tengamos

C. El imperativo familiar

To form the negative familiar commands there are 3 steps.

• 1. Find the polite command• 2. Place “no” before the verb• 3. Add an “s” to the end

Ejemplo: Caminar 1. camine

2. no camine3. no camines

Don’t walk.

parar

• 1. pare

• 2. no pare

• 3. no pares

Don’t stop.

cerrar

• 1. cierre

• 2. no cierre

• 2. no cierres

Don’t close.

pedir

• 1. pida

• 2. no pida

• 3. no pidas

Don’t order/request.

volver

• 1. vuelva

• 2. no vuelva

• 3. no vuelvas

Don’t return.

salir

• 1. salga

• 2. no salga

• 3. no salgas

Don’t leave.

estar

• esté

• no esté

• no estés

Don’t be

ir

• vaya

• no vaya

• no vayas

Don’t go

But…..Negative Commands with Pronouns

Pronouns must be placed before the verb in negative commands.

A. POLITE COMMANDS

Affirmative Command Negative CommandLlámeme. - Call me. No me llame.- Don’t call me.Póngaselo. – Put it on. No se lo ponga. - Don’t put it on. Devuélvala. – Return it. No la devuelva.- Don’t return it.Díganmelo. – Tell it to me. No me lo digan. - Don’t tell it to me.Escríbanlas. – Write them No las escriban. - Don’t write them.Levántense.- Get up. No se levanten. - Don’t get up.

•In the negative command, the pronoun is placed before the verb.

*In the negative command, there is no accent.

B. “LET’S” COMMANDS

Affirmative Command Negative CommandLlámemoslo.– Let’s call him. No lo llamemos.- Let’s not call him.

Póngamonoslos.– Let’s put them on No nos los pongamos – Let’s not put them

on.

Devolvámosla. – Let’s return it. No la devolvamos.- Let’s not return it.

Dígámosles. – Let’s tell them. No les digamos. – Let’s not tell them.

Digámoselo.- Let’s tell it to them. No se lo digamos – Let’s not tell it to them

Escríbámoslas. – Let’s write them. No las escribamos. –Let’s not write them.

Levantémonos.- Let’s get up. No nos levantemos. – Let’s not get up.

*In the negative command, the pronoun is placed before the verb.•In the negative command, there is no accent.•Don’t forget: Indirect before direct.•Don’t forget: le becomes se in front of lo, la, los or las•Don’t forget: drop the “s” on levantemos when adding nos

C. FAMILIAR COMMANDS

Affirmative Command Negative CommandLlámame. - Call me. No me llames.- Don’t call me.Póntelo. – Put it on. No te lo pongas. - Don’t put it on. Devuélvela. – Return it. No la devuelvas.- Don’t return it.Dímelo. – Tell it to me. No me lo digas. - Don’t tell it to me.Escríbelas. – Write them. No las escribas. - Don’t write them.Levántate.- Get up. No te levantes. - Don’t get up.

Don’t forget the 3 steps: change to the polite command, add “no”, add “s”.Place the pronoun before the verb.In the negative command, there is no accent.Don’t forget: Indirect before direct.Don’t forget: le becomes se in front of lo, la, los or lasDon’t forget: drop the “s” on levantemos when adding nos

Negative Commands – Notice all pronouns are placed before

the verb.

A. Polite• No me las cante Ud. . Don’t sing them to me.• No lo haga Ud. Don’t do it.• No tenga Ud. fiesta. Don’t have a party.

B. Let’s• No estemos aquí mañana. Let’s not be here tomorrow.• No la cerramos. Let’s not close it.• No les digamos la verdad. Let’s not tell the truth to them.

C. Familiar• No me la digas. Don’t tell it to me.• No se lo des. Don’t give it to him.• No te pongas los zapatos. Don’t put on your shoes.

Change the affirmative command to the negative

A. Polite Place the “no” before the verb, place pronouns

before the verb, remove accents.

• Dígame – Tell me.• No me diga – Don’t tell

me.

• Manéjelo – Drive it.• No lo maneje – Don’t

drive it.

• Cómpremelas – Buy them for me.

• No me las compre. – Don’t buy them for me

• Lávese. – Wash.• No se lave. – Don’t wash.

• Tómela. – Take it.• No la tome. – Don’t take

it.

• Prepáreselas. – Prepare them for her.

• No se las prepare. – Don’t prepare them for her.

B. “Let”s” Place the “no” before the verb, place pronouns

before the verb, and remove accents.

• Digámosle. – Let’s tell her.• No le digamos. – Let’s not tell

her.

• Manejémoslo. – Let’s drive it.• No lo manejemos – Let’s not

drive it.

• Comprémoselas. – Let’s buy them for him.

• No se las compremos. – Let’s not buy them for him.

• Lavémonos. – Let’s wash.• No nos lavemos. – Let’s not

wash.

• Tomémosla. – Let’s take it.• No la tomemos . – Let’s not

take it.

• Preparémoselas. – Let’s prepare them for her.

• No se las preparemos. – Let’s not prepare them for her.

C. Familiar Change verb to the Polite command, place the “no” before the verb, place pronouns before the

verb, add an “s”, and remove the accents.

• Dime. – Tell me.• No me digas. – Don’t tell

me.

• Manéjalo. – Drive it.• No lo manejes – Don’t

drive it.

• Cómpramelas. – Buy them for me.

• No me las compres. – Don’t buy them for me

• Lávate. – Wash.• No te laves. – Don’t

wash.

• Tómala. – Take it.• No la tomes. – Don’t take

it.

• Prepáraselas. – Prepare them for her.

• No se las prepares. – Don’t prepare them for her.

Gracias por su atención.