Spanish conjugation explanation

Affirmative vs. negative commands

<p>In Spanish, the conjugation of the imperative verb forms can be different depending on whether we are giving affirmative or negative commands:</p>

<ul>

<li><strong>negative commands</strong> are formed in the

<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext" href="/conjugationExplanation/spanish_wrong_present_subjunctive_stem" target="_blank">same way as the present subjunctive forms</a>

<li>the <strong><span style="font-style: italic;">usted, nosotros</span> and <span style="font-style: italic;">ustedes</span> affirmative commands</strong> are the same as their negative counterparts</strong>;</li>

<li><strong><span style="font-style: italic;">tú</span> affirmative commands</strong> usually use the <span style="font-style: italic;">él/ella/usted</span> form of the present indicative instead;</li>

<li><strong><span style="font-style: italic;">vosotros</span> affirmative commands</strong> are formed by replacing the letter R at the end of the infinitive with the letter D.</li>

</ul>

<p>Let's compare the affirmative and negative conjugations of the imperative for the regular verb <span style="font-style: italic;">hablar</span> (to speak, to talk):</p>

<div class="study_conjugations_tense_container">

<a class="study_conjugations_tense_label box_label" href="/study/tenseGuideForTense/22/" target="_blank" title="Open tense guide">Imperativo afirmativo</a>

<div class="study_conjugations_conjugation conjugations_table two_columns">

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">---</span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms highlighted_conjugation">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

(tú)

</span>habla

</span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

(usted)

</span>hable

</span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

(nosotros)

</span>hablemos

</span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms highlighted_conjugation">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

(vosotros)

</span>hablad

</span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

(ustedes)

</span>hablen

</span>

</div>

</div>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_tense_container">

<a class="study_conjugations_tense_label box_label" href="/study/tenseGuideForTense/142/" target="_blank" title="Open tense guide">Imperativo negativo</a>

<div class="study_conjugations_conjugation conjugations_table two_columns">

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">---</span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms highlighted_conjugation">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

(tú) no

</span>hables

</span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

(usted) no

</span>hable

</span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

(nosotros) no

</span>hablemos

</span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms highlighted_conjugation">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

(vosotros) no

</span>habléis

</span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

(ustedes) no

</span>hablen

</span>

</div>

</div>

</div>

</div>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence"><strong>Habla</strong> con tus padres sobre tus notas en la escuela. (<span style="font-style: italic;">Talk to your parents about your grades in school.</span>)</div>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence"><strong>No hables</strong> con tus padres sobre tus notas en la escuela. (<span style="font-style: italic;">Don't talk to your parents about your grades in school.</span>)</div>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_title">Reflexive verbs</div>

<p>In the case of <strong>affirmative</strong> commands, the <strong>reflexive pronoun must be added at the end</strong> of the verb form.</p>

<p>In the case of <strong>negative</strong> commands, the <strong>reflexive pronoun must be placed in front</strong> of the verb form. There are some cases where even Let's compare the affirmative and negative commands of the verb <span style="font-style: italic;">lavarse</span> (to wash oneself):</p>

<div class="study_conjugations_tense_container">

<a class="study_conjugations_tense_label box_label" href="/study/tenseGuideForTense/22/" target="_blank" title="Open tense guide">Imperativo afirmativo</a>

<div class="study_conjugations_conjugation conjugations_table two_columns">

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">---</span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms highlighted_conjugation">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

(tú)

</span>lávate

</span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms highlighted_conjugation">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

(usted)

</span>lávese

</span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms highlighted_conjugation">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

(nosotros)

</span>lavémonos

</span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms highlighted_conjugation">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

(vosotros)

</span>lavaos

</span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms highlighted_conjugation">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

(ustedes)

</span>lávense

</span>

</div>

</div>

</div>

</div>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence_note">(note the dropped S in the nosotros form: <strong>lavemos + nos &#8594; lavémonos</strong>; and the dropped D in the vosotros form: <strong>lavad + os &#8594; lavaos</strong>)</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_tense_container">

<a class="study_conjugations_tense_label box_label" href="/study/tenseGuideForTense/142/" target="_blank" title="Open tense guide">Imperativo negativo</a>

<div class="study_conjugations_conjugation conjugations_table two_columns">

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">---</span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms highlighted_conjugation">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

(tú) no

</span>te laves

</span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms highlighted_conjugation">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

(usted) no

</span>se lave

</span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms highlighted_conjugation">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

(nosotros) no

</span>nos lavemos

</span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms highlighted_conjugation">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

(vosotros) no

</span>os lavéis

</span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms highlighted_conjugation">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

(ustedes) no

</span>se laven

</span>

</div>

</div>

</div>

</div>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">Por favor, <strong>lávese</strong> las manos con jabón. (<span style="font-style: italic;">Please wash your hands with soap.</span>)</div>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">Por favor, <strong>no te laves</strong> las manos con jabón. (<span style="font-style: italic;">Please don't wash your hands with soap.</span>)</div>