Spanish Negative Commands: no + Subjunctive for Every Person
By Michael McGettrick and Sergio Linares-HernandesUpdated 12 October 2026
To tell anyone not to do something, put no in front of the present subjunctive:
Quick check
Three quick questions on what you have just read. The full practice is further down.
Spot the mistake
0/3Each sentence has one wrong word. Tap it.
.- Speak more slowly..- Don't speak so fast.
If , and are new, start with how to form the present subjunctive.
Negative commands at a glance
Every "don't" in Spanish, with (to speak):
| Who | Do it | Don't do it |
|---|---|---|
| | |
| | |
| (let's) | | |
| (Spain) | | |
| |
Read the right-hand column: it is all subjunctive. , and are the subjunctive both ways, so their "don't" is their "do" with no in front. Only and change shape.
No + the present subjunctive
The command is where English speakers slip, because its affirmative is a form of its own (the present minus its -s). The negative ignores it and uses the subjunctive:
| Verb | Do it (tú) | Don't (tú) | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| | speak | |
| | eat | |
| | open | |
| | think |
The eight short commands flip to the subjunctive too, built from the yo form as always:
| Do it | Don't | From |
|---|---|---|
| | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
| | irregular |
| | irregular |
.- Don't come late..- Don't be silly.
does the same: . - Go now. / . - Don't go out without a coat.
Pronouns move in front
In a command to do something, object and reflexive pronouns go on the end, written as one word. After no, they go in front of the verb, in the same order:
| Do it | Don't do it | English |
|---|---|---|
. | . | Tell me. / Don't. |
. | . | Get up. / Don't get up. |
. | . | Do it. / Don't (). |
Sentaos. | . | Sit down. / Don't (). |
The written accent on and is there because the pronouns add syllables after the stressed one. With the pronouns in front, the verb is back to its plain spelling: , .
No te preocupes: one verb, four people
A reflexive verb changes its pronoun with the person, and the pronoun still sits between no and the verb. Here is "don't worry" ():
| To whom | Spanish |
|---|---|
| a friend () | . |
| (polite) | . |
| friends, in Spain | . |
| a group () | . |
- .
- .
- .
No te preocupes: don't worry (to a friend). No se preocupe: don't worry (to an older stranger). No se preocupen: don't worry (to a group).
Mistakes English speakers make
| Wrong | Right | Why |
|---|---|---|
| no | | after no, takes the subjunctive |
| no | | the short forms do not survive no |
| no | | the pronoun goes in front |
| no | | pronouns in front, then the verb |
| () no | | to a friend: the -s marks |
Signs often use the infinitive instead, for nobody in particular: . - No smoking.
What to do next
- Turn five
commands you know into "don't":, come,,,. - Do the sort and word-order drills below.
- Then formal commands, where
uses the subjunctive both ways.