Spanish Lesson: Spanish Imperatives (Part 1) Negative Spanish Imperatives

This lesson is part of the Beginner Spanish Course (127 lessons)

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This is the first Spanish lesson in a series of four videos about Spanish Imperatives. In this lesson we are going to learn how to make negative Imperatives in Spanish. We can use the Spanish Imperative to give a direct order, to give instructions, to make an invitation, on signs and notices and to give friendly, informal advice. Examples of the Imperative in English are sentences such as “Open the door”, “Turn right at the end of the road” or “Make yourself at home”. In English the Imperative is constructed very simply with the use of the base verb with no alterations for all persons. Unfortunately for you, the Spanish student, it is slightly more complicated in Spanish. We need to learn how to construct different Spanish verb endings for tú, usted, vosotros and ustedes depending on whether the verb ends in -ar, -er or -ir. In this Spanish lesson we will see how to construct the verb endings for the Spanish Imperative regular verbs. In the next lesson we will see Spanish Imperatives with direct object pronouns.

Lesson notes:

-AR: (mirar: to look)
(tú) no mires: don’t look
(usted) no mire: don’t look
(vosotros) no miréis: don’t look
(ustedes) no miren: don’t look

-ER: (comer: to eat)
(tú) no comas: don’t eat
(usted) no coma: don’t eat
(vosotros) no comáis: don’t eat
(ustedes) no coman: don’t eat

-IR: (escribir: to write)
(tú) no escribas: don’t write
(usted) no escriba: don’t write
(vosotros) no escribáis: don’t write
(ustedes) no escriban: don’t write

Activity:

Translate the following…

Don’t open
Don’t open (group/formal)
Don’t drink (group)
Don’t use
Don’t work (formal)

Here are the answers for the last activity:

- Hola, Buenos días. ¿qué desea?
- Necesito algo para el dolor de cabeza. ¿Podría recomendarme algo eficaz?
- ¿Con que frecuencia le duele la cabeza?
- Me duele todas las noches, cuando vuelvo del trabajo.
- Yo que usted tomaría estas pastillas.
- ¿Qué dosis debo tomar al día?
- Tómelas sólo cuando le duele la cabeza. Si le duele la cabeza, no debería ver la televisión.
- Vale. Muchas gracias.
- ¿Necesita algo más?
- No nada más. ¿Cuánto es?
- Son 6.95 euros.