Negative imperative in Spanish
Sign up for free to get all information about private lessons and our available group courses (A1, A2, B2, B2, C1, C2)
Sign up for freeWe offer both private lessons and organized group courses
Sign up for free to get all available courses or contact one of our teachers yourself!
Nerea G.
16.00 €/h
Free trial lesson!
Group lessons!
Maria P.
15.00 €/h
Free trial lesson!
Group lessons!
Lourdes L.
14.00 €/h
No free trial lesson!
Group lessons!
Our offer
Spanish has two ways of expressing orders. The affirmative and the negative form of the imperative. Here is the negative form:
Lesson outline
Hide- 1.Forming the imperative: Instructions not to do something (imperativo negativo)
- 2.Irregular verbs in imperativo negativo
- 2.1.Highly irregular verbs
- 2.2.Irregular verbs in Present (Indicative)
- 3.Position of object pronouns
- 4.Exercises
- 4.1.Practise the negative Imperative Form
- 4.2.Change the affirmative orders into negative
- 4.3.Conjugate the verbs in Imperative (negative)
Forming the imperative: Instructions not to do something (imperativo negativo)
The formation of the negative form of the imperative in Spanish is easier than the affirmative. The endings are very similar to the present tense but with a little vowel change.
- The -ar verbs have the same endings as the -er verbs in the Present.
- The -er and -ir verbs have the same endings as the -ar verbs in the Present.
| Personal pronouns | Imperative (hablar) | Imperative (comer) | Imperative (escribir) |
|---|---|---|---|
| tú | no hables | no comas | no escribas |
| usted | no hable | no coma | no escriba |
| nosotros/-as | no hablemos | no comamos | no escribamos |
| vosotros/-as | no habléis | no comáis | no escribáis |
| ustedes | no hablen | no coman | no escriban |
Have a question?
Take online language lessons with a professional teacher
- Native & verified teachers
- Free trial lesson
- Learning materials included
Celia G. 
12.00 €/h
Free trial lesson!
Group lessons!
Ana B. 
13.00 €/h
Free trial lesson!
Group lessons!
Ana Maria D.
23.00 €/h
Free trial lesson!
Group lessons!
Andrés B. 
20.00 €/h
Free trial lesson!
Group lessons!
Rodrigo A. 
25.00 €/h
Free trial lesson!
Group lessons!
Carlota G.
12.00 €/h
Free trial lesson!
Group lessons!
Meliza G.
15.00 €/h
Free trial lesson!
Group lessons!
Patricia B.
17.00 €/h
Free trial lesson!
Group lessons!
Laura M. 
40.00 €/h
Free trial lesson!
Group lessons!
Carol P.
25.00 €/h
Free trial lesson!
Group lessons!
Celia G.
12.00 €/h
Free trial lesson!
Group lessons!
Ana B.
13.00 €/h
Free trial lesson!
Group lessons!
Ana Maria D.
23.00 €/h
Free trial lesson!
Group lessons!
Andrés B.
20.00 €/h
Free trial lesson!
Group lessons!
Rodrigo A.
25.00 €/h
Free trial lesson!
Group lessons!
Carlota G.
12.00 €/h
Free trial lesson!
Group lessons!
Meliza G.
15.00 €/h
Free trial lesson!
Group lessons!
Patricia B.
17.00 €/h
Free trial lesson!
Group lessons!
Irregular verbs in imperativo negativo
In sentences that tell you not to do something and have "no" in front of them, the imperative forms are all taken from the present subjunctive. It's easy to remember because the endings for -ar and -er verbs are the opposite of what they are in the present tense.
Highly irregular verbs
| Personal pronouns | Imperative (ser) | Imperative (estar) | Imperative (ir) | Imperative (saber) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| tú | no seas | no estés | no vayas | no sepas |
| usted | no sea | no esté | no vaya | no sepa |
| nosotros/-as | no seamos | no estemos | no vayamos | no sepamos |
| vosotros/-as | no seáis | no estéis | no vayáis | no sepáis |
| ustedes | no sean | no estén | no vayan | no sepan |
| Personal pronouns | Imperative (dar) | Imperative (haber) |
|---|---|---|
| tú | no des | no hayas |
| usted | no dé | no haya |
| nosotros/-as | no demos | no hayamos |
| vosotros/-as | no deis | no hayáis |
| ustedes | no den | 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:
- ¡No tengas!
- ¡No tenga!
- ¡No tengamos!
- ¡No tengáis!
- ¡No tengan!
Here you have some examples of common irregular verbs:
| Personal pronouns | Imperative tener | Imperative decir | Imperative poner | Imperative hacer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| tú | no tengas | no digas | no pongas | no hagas |
| usted | no tenga | no diga | no ponga | no haga |
| nosotros/-as | no tengamos | no digamos | no pongamos | no hagamos |
| vosotros/-as | no tengáis | no digáis | no pongáis | no hagáis |
| ustedes | no tengan | no digan | no pongan | no hagan |
| Personal pronouns | Imperative salir | Imperative traer | Imperative ver | Imperative venir |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| tú | no salgas | no triagas | no veas | no vengas |
| usted | no salga | no traiga | no vea | no venga |
| nosotros/-as | no salgamos | no traigamos | no veamos | no vengamos |
| vosotros/-as | no salgáis | no traigáis | no veáis | no vengáis |
| ustedes | no salgan | no traigan | no vean | no vengan |
Position of object pronouns
Object pronouns are words like me (meaning me or to me), la (meaning her/it) or les (meaning to them/to you) that is used instead of a noun as the object of a sentence. In sentences and instructions, the position of these object pronouns changes depending on whether you are telling someone TO DO something (Imperativo afirmativo) or NOT TO DO something (Imperativo negativo)
- ¡No os preocupéis! (Don't worry!)
- ¡No lo abras! (Do not open it!)
- ¡No se lo digas! (Don't tell her!)
If you are telling someone NOT TO DO something, the object pronouns go BEFORE the verb.
Exercises
- Practise the negative Imperative Form
- Change the affirmative orders into negative
- Conjugate the verbs in Imperative (negative)
Practise the negative Imperative Form
Example:
No vayas ahí! (Don't go there!)
1. ¡No carne! (Do not eat meat!)
2. ¡No con el jefe! (Do not talk to the boss!)
3. ¡No me jamás! (Never write to me again!)
4. ¡No al norte! (Do not go north!)
5. ¡No miedo. (Don't be scared)
6. ¡No a la fiesta entonces! (Don't come to the party then!)
7. ¡No a sus niños! (Don't bring the children!)
8. ¡No lo ! (Do not open it!)
9. ¡No os ! (Don't worry!)
10. ¡No de casa sin despedirte! (Do not leave without saying goodbye!)
Change the affirmative orders into negative
Example:
¡Grita! - ¡No grites! (Shout! - Don't shout!)
1. ¡Llama! → ¡No ! (Do not call!)
2. ¡Escribid! → ¡No ! (Don't write!)
3. ¡Sal! → ¡No ! (Do not go out!)
4. ¡Mira! → ¡No ! (Don't look!)
5. ¡Entra! → ¡No ! (Do not enter!)
6. ¡Bebid! → ¡No ! (Do not drink!)
7. ¡Hablad! → ¡No ! (Do not talk!)
8. ¡Ven! → ¡No ! (Don't come!)
9. ¡Salta! → ¡No ! (Don't jump!)
10. ¡Trae algo! → ¡No nada! (Don't bring anything!)
Conjugate the verbs in Imperative (negative)
Example:
No te vayas! (ir-tú)
(Don't go!)
1. ¡No carne! (comer,nosotros)
(Let's stop eating meat!)
2. ¡No con nadie! (hablar, usted)
(Do not speak to anyone)
3. ¡No más! (escribir, nosotras)
(Let's not write anymore!)
4. ¡No ! (salir, tú)
(Do not go out)
5. ¡No les de comer a los animales! (dar, vosotros)
(Do not feed the animals)
6. ¡No nada! (traer, ustedes)
(Do not bring anything!)
7. ¡No nada! (hacer, usted)
(Don't do anything!)
8. ¡No nada! (decir, tú)
(Don't say anything!)
9. ¡No ! (ir, vosotras)
(Don't go!)
10. ¡No tímido! (ser, tú)
(Don't be shy!)
Exercises
- Practise the negative Imperative Form
- Change the affirmative orders into negative
- Conjugate the verbs in Imperative (negative)
Practise the negative Imperative Form
Example:
No vayas ahí! (Don't go there!)
1. ¡No carne! (Do not eat meat!)
2. ¡No con el jefe! (Do not talk to the boss!)
3. ¡No me jamás! (Never write to me again!)
4. ¡No al norte! (Do not go north!)
5. ¡No miedo. (Don't be scared)
6. ¡No a la fiesta entonces! (Don't come to the party then!)
7. ¡No a sus niños! (Don't bring the children!)
8. ¡No lo ! (Do not open it!)
9. ¡No os ! (Don't worry!)
10. ¡No de casa sin despedirte! (Do not leave without saying goodbye!)
Change the affirmative orders into negative
Example:
¡Grita! - ¡No grites! (Shout! - Don't shout!)
1. ¡Llama! → ¡No ! (Do not call!)
2. ¡Escribid! → ¡No ! (Don't write!)
3. ¡Sal! → ¡No ! (Do not go out!)
4. ¡Mira! → ¡No ! (Don't look!)
5. ¡Entra! → ¡No ! (Do not enter!)
6. ¡Bebid! → ¡No ! (Do not drink!)
7. ¡Hablad! → ¡No ! (Do not talk!)
8. ¡Ven! → ¡No ! (Don't come!)
9. ¡Salta! → ¡No ! (Don't jump!)
10. ¡Trae algo! → ¡No nada! (Don't bring anything!)
Conjugate the verbs in Imperative (negative)
Example:
No te vayas! (ir-tú)
(Don't go!)
1. ¡No carne! (comer,nosotros)
(Let's stop eating meat!)
2. ¡No con nadie! (hablar, usted)
(Do not speak to anyone)
3. ¡No más! (escribir, nosotras)
(Let's not write anymore!)
4. ¡No ! (salir, tú)
(Do not go out)
5. ¡No les de comer a los animales! (dar, vosotros)
(Do not feed the animals)
6. ¡No nada! (traer, ustedes)
(Do not bring anything!)
7. ¡No nada! (hacer, usted)
(Don't do anything!)
8. ¡No nada! (decir, tú)
(Don't say anything!)
9. ¡No ! (ir, vosotras)
(Don't go!)
10. ¡No tímido! (ser, tú)
(Don't be shy!)
What our students say
Unlike in other platforms, all our teachers are manually verified by our professional team. Trust in the experiences of our students.
Hello! My name is Emilia and I am an experienced language tutor and translator from/to Bulgarian, Spanish, English and Dutch. My biggest passion are foreign languages and I have passed this passion to many of my students throughout the years. Despite the fact I have a Master degree in Economics and International Business and I have worked few years as an economist, my heart always takes me back to my teaching and translation jobs. With 20 years of teaching experience, a great level of patience and dedication to my work, and a great number of happy students, I am here to help you learn Bulgarian and Spanish at your own pace and convenience. Hope to hear from you soon! Best regards, Emilia
L. .
Emilia is a very good teacher who tries to explain everything as clearly as possible. She takes your level very carefully into account. Definitely recommended if you are looking for a friendly, patient and good teacher.
Emilia I.
Hello, I have a BA, MA and CELTA, with 15 years' experience in teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages. I have taught groups and 1-1, children and adults, in class and online, General and Business English, all levels from Beginners to Proficiency, and have successfully prepared students for exams in IELTS and FCE. I employ the '3 Ps' method - Presentation., Practice, Production - to help you acquire skills in grammar and vocabulary, reading and writing, listening and speaking. I employ a variety of teaching materials, including textbooks, audiovisual aids and realia. If you need help with any of these skills, get in touch!
C. B.
Nicholas teaches English since 15 years to any level and age. He adaptes his lessons according student needs and demands. He uses the 3 P teaching method (Presentation, Production, Practice) which enables the student to work his/her English grammar and vocabulary and then use them to improve his/her pronunciation and speak fluently English . He uses different tools as book, exercises, videos or games. I recommend him !
This review was written by a coLanguage team member during a manual screening of this teacher profile.
Nicholas T.
CERTIFIED CELTA TUTOR WITH 3 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE
S. G.
Jenifer is an experienced and certified teacher and also a very nice person. She is very organized, her classes are carefully structured to allow the student to practice every basic language skill (reading, listening, speaking, writing). She also provides high-quality learning materials.
This review was written by a coLanguage team member during a manual screening of this teacher profile.
Jenifer D.
Hi. I´m Víctor, your Spanish teacher. Even though I come from Alicante (Spain), I spent the last ten years in Poland. I know not only from my own experience how dificult it is to learn a new langauge. I know how it feels when you don´t speak perfectly and you have to break your fear to actually communicate with a foreigner. I will help you to crush this fear. With me, you can be sure that you will talk without fear.
I don´t have a fixed methodology. I believe in flexibility and adjusting the method to the needs, expectations and goals of each student. You can be sure that with all the materials I have gathered, I will use the most adequate resources to your needs.
For me the most important aspect of learning the language is the communication. I put emphasis on speaking, but I don´t forget about other skills. If you want to prepare yourself for DELE exam, you can count on me. I have experience in preparation (with success) for all levels of DELE.
H. N.
Víctor is a friendly and very experienced teacher. I had a great time speaking with him and can really recommend him as a teacher.
This review was written by a coLanguage team member during a manual screening of this teacher profile.
Víctor S.
W. T.
I found CoLanguage accidentally when I was searching for online private lessons to improve my spanish skills which had diminished a bit since my stay abroad two years ago (B2+ level). After the free trial with Noelia (where we talked about my objectives and her learning methods and got to know each other) I was already so blessed and motivated! Her lessons are well-structured, she is really flexible, patient, reacts to sentences spoken and directly helps to rephrase mistakes/sentences. I am able to repeat and learn grammar/vocabularies and at the same time we have good conversations which makes my speaking more fluent again. She visualizes everything while speaking which makes it easy to follow. I am really looking forward to continue learning Spanish with her!
Noelia N.
Thank you very much Wiebke !!! :)
I am Susana or just call me Su, I grew up in Venezuela but my family is from Portugal, and I have been teaching in Madrid since 3 years ago. According to my students I am patient, dedicated and arrive to each class with a positive and happy attitude. As a teacher I am optimistic and enthusiastic and always try to transmit a boundless energy and yet straight-forward -guide. I know how to handle the change for different situations and to be flexible to every one according to their needs and goals.
The classes are a wonderful balance of textbook work and general speaking and reading, which is great to help with pronunciation and real life Spanish conversations.
The only I ask from students is that they want to learn and to share their stories as I will
I hold a Certificate in Teaching Spanish as a Second Language from Pontificia Universidad Catolica del Peru. My bachelor degree is Modern Languages from Universidad de Margarita but still I am learning everyday speacially from my students.
I started my experience as an assistant Spanish teacher at CELA Spanish School in Margarita island, eight years ago. Then I moved to London for one year and worked as one to one Spanish tutor. Today I am currently living in Madrid and work as a Spanish Teacher
on line. Hope I can meet you and help you in this beautiful process. See you soon!!!
S. G.
Susana is a really nice teacher, with experience teaching both online and in person. She structures her classes in a different way according to her student's level, but she always covers each one of the language learning skills. Her teaching materials are good and she also does a great use of online tools.
This review was written by a coLanguage team member during a manual screening of this teacher profile.
Susana T.
Hello, everyone,
I am Marcella, a native Italian who has moved to Switzerland to study.
I have a degree in Ancient Literature with a focus on archaeology, and in Italy I am qualified to teach literary classes.
I am doing a PhD in archaeology at the University of Bern, where I teach every two semesters.
I prefer to teach one-to-one or in pairs in order to make the most of my time and focus on people's needs. I prepare targeted courses, which is why I offer a trial lesson to establish the future course of the lessons.
Lessons are usually always mixed, conversation and grammar using audio, video and text material. Depending on the speed at which the student intends to progress, homework assignments are structured.
Try it for yourself! I look forward to seeing you online!
S. G.
Marcella is a nice and experienced teacher. She had different types of students, she always assesses their level before starting to teach and she also likes to get to know their interest, to be able to keep them interested and engaged. The learning materials she provides are very good.
This review was written by a coLanguage team member during a manual screening of this teacher profile.
Marcella B.
Personalized Spanish Courses
C. B.
Sophie is an experienced teacher who has developed a teaching method adapted to the needs and expectations of her students, using a variety of materials !
This review was written by a coLanguage team member during a manual screening of this teacher profile.
Sophie G.
I introduce myself
T. .
Deborah is a very nice and positive teacher. She is experienced in teaching all levels of students. She has prepared learning materials for Spanish and French languages. She is ready to meet new students!
This review was written by a coLanguage team member during a manual screening of this teacher profile.
Deborah S.
Thank you so much for your positive feedback and I’m grateful to be a part of this staff ❤️
T.E.F.L. certified teacher and interpreter as well with experience in teaching online and offline provides English lesson to anyone wants to learn and practise this Language
Enjoy it!
Vocabulary, grammar, listening and role plays speaking activities materials used to practise.
Cambridge Assessment preparation provided
D. E.
Laura is an excellent teacher with a lot of experience. She is very professional and friendly, ready to adapt her lessons to students' needs, goals and levels. Students can choose to improve and learn all the aspects of the language with her.
This review was written by a coLanguage team member during a manual screening of this teacher profile.
LAURA M.
Hi, my name is Nomsa. I am an English tutor with 3 years experience in English tutoring. I can teach both adults and children for beginners, intermediate and business English lessons. My hobbies are watching movies, cooking and traveling around the world. I would like to meet new people and learn their ways of living as I am teaching them English as a second language.
C. B.
Nomsa has good grammar and interesting english exercises ! She has a good communication and teaching experiences as well.
This review was written by a coLanguage team member during a manual screening of this teacher profile.
Nomsa C.
Hello, my name is Marina. I am a native speaker of Spanish.
I am a graduate in teaching foreign language at a Pedagogical University.
I have about 15 years of experience in teaching children, youth and adults.
In the last few years I focused on teaching Spanish online.
Online teaching has allowed me to realize what are the main difficulties that foreigners have when they want to learn Spanish.
so I have combined methods, applied strategies and fun activities to facilitate the development of pronunciation, listening and writing skills of the language.
That is why I invite you to get to know this way of learning so that soon you will be conversing fluently in the second most spoken language in the world: Spanish.
C. B.
Marina is a nice and smiling Spanish teacher. She is passionated by teaching Spanish to foreign people and she adaptes her lessons according students demands and level. Marina creates her own Spanish lessons which are very structured and in which you can find attractive learning materials as videos, dialogs and exercices. I recommend her !
This review was written by a coLanguage team member during a manual screening of this teacher profile.
Marina del Valle P.
Thank you Clemence. It is a pleasure for me to be part of this wonderful organization and to be able to teach about my language and culture.
Good Day! I'm Edelyn but you can call me Teacher Ed's. I am a License Professional Teacher and a Microsoft Innovative Educator from the Philippines. I have a degree in Bachelor of Secondary Education Major in English. I'm sharing my enthusiasm in Teaching English and Filipino or Tagalog Language for six years.
My teaching style is depends on what my students like and comfortable with because, I believe that even you're a very good teacher if your teaching style is not suitable for your learner they will be having a hard time to understand your lesson.
So, If you want to Learn English or Tagalog, Conversational, Wika or Panitikan (means Grammar and Literature in Tagalog) you can book me as your teacher. See you soon!
H. K.
With 6 years of teaching experience, Adelyn is a well-trained teacher in Filipino and English. She has also already gained quite a lot of experience in online teaching in the last year. Adapting to the wishes and needs of her students she creates very communicative and fun lessons, tailored to her students needs and wants. Don't wait any longer and book your first lesson with Adelyn now!
This review was written by a coLanguage team member during a manual screening of this teacher profile.
Edelyn A.
Thank you so much Hanna. Stay safe always :)
Experienced teacher gives French lessons
C. B.
Karine is a French and German teacher. She adaptes her lessons according your demands, level and your studies or work. Students can learning French or German easily with her. She is a nice and smiling person, French or German grammar won't be a problem anymore and funny to learn !
This review was written by a coLanguage team member during a manual screening of this teacher profile.
Karine W.
Hello! My name is Emilia and I am an experienced language tutor and translator from/to Bulgarian, Spanish, English and Dutch. My biggest passion are foreign languages and I have passed this passion to many of my students throughout the years. Despite the fact I have a Master degree in Economics and International Business and I have worked few years as an economist, my heart always takes me back to my teaching and translation jobs. With 20 years of teaching experience, a great level of patience and dedication to my work, and a great number of happy students, I am here to help you learn Bulgarian and Spanish at your own pace and convenience. Hope to hear from you soon! Best regards, Emilia
L. .
Emilia is a very good teacher who tries to explain everything as clearly as possible. She takes your level very carefully into account. Definitely recommended if you are looking for a friendly, patient and good teacher.
Emilia I.
Hello, I have a BA, MA and CELTA, with 15 years' experience in teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages. I have taught groups and 1-1, children and adults, in class and online, General and Business English, all levels from Beginners to Proficiency, and have successfully prepared students for exams in IELTS and FCE. I employ the '3 Ps' method - Presentation., Practice, Production - to help you acquire skills in grammar and vocabulary, reading and writing, listening and speaking. I employ a variety of teaching materials, including textbooks, audiovisual aids and realia. If you need help with any of these skills, get in touch!
C. B.
Nicholas teaches English since 15 years to any level and age. He adaptes his lessons according student needs and demands. He uses the 3 P teaching method (Presentation, Production, Practice) which enables the student to work his/her English grammar and vocabulary and then use them to improve his/her pronunciation and speak fluently English . He uses different tools as book, exercises, videos or games. I recommend him !
This review was written by a coLanguage team member during a manual screening of this teacher profile.
Nicholas T.
CERTIFIED CELTA TUTOR WITH 3 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE
S. G.
Jenifer is an experienced and certified teacher and also a very nice person. She is very organized, her classes are carefully structured to allow the student to practice every basic language skill (reading, listening, speaking, writing). She also provides high-quality learning materials.
This review was written by a coLanguage team member during a manual screening of this teacher profile.
Jenifer D.
Hi. I´m Víctor, your Spanish teacher. Even though I come from Alicante (Spain), I spent the last ten years in Poland. I know not only from my own experience how dificult it is to learn a new langauge. I know how it feels when you don´t speak perfectly and you have to break your fear to actually communicate with a foreigner. I will help you to crush this fear. With me, you can be sure that you will talk without fear.
I don´t have a fixed methodology. I believe in flexibility and adjusting the method to the needs, expectations and goals of each student. You can be sure that with all the materials I have gathered, I will use the most adequate resources to your needs.
For me the most important aspect of learning the language is the communication. I put emphasis on speaking, but I don´t forget about other skills. If you want to prepare yourself for DELE exam, you can count on me. I have experience in preparation (with success) for all levels of DELE.
H. N.
Víctor is a friendly and very experienced teacher. I had a great time speaking with him and can really recommend him as a teacher.
This review was written by a coLanguage team member during a manual screening of this teacher profile.
Víctor S.