Regular -ER and -IR Verbs in Negative Commands
Negative commands are crucial for telling someone what not to do in Spanish. In our previous lesson, we covered -AR verbs in negative commands. Now, let’s learn how to form negative commands with regular -ER and -IR verbs.
Forming Negative Commands with -ER and -IR Verbs
The process is similar to -AR verbs but with different endings:
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Start with the present tense "yo" form of the verb.
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Remove the "-o" ending.
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Add the opposite vowel ending (for -ER/-IR verbs, this is "-as" for tú and "-an" for ustedes).
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Place "no" before the verb.
Conjugation Rules
| Pronoun | Ending | Example: Comer (to eat) | Example: Vivir (to live) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tú | -as | No comas. (Don’t eat.) | No vivas. (Don’t live.) |
| Usted | -a | No coma. (Don’t eat – formal) | No viva. (Don’t live – formal) |
| Nosotros/as | -amos | No comamos. (Let’s not eat.) | No vivamos. (Let’s not live.) |
| Vosotros/as | -áis | No comáis. (Don’t eat – plural, Spain) | No viváis. (Don’t live – plural, Spain) |
| Ustedes | -an | No coman. (Don’t eat – plural) | No vivan. (Don’t live – plural) |
Examples
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Beber (to drink) → No bebas (Don’t drink)
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Aprender (to learn) → No aprenda (Don’t learn – formal)
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Escribir (to write) → No escribáis (Don’t write – vosotros)
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Abrir (to open) → No abran (Don’t open – plural)
Important Notes
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Object pronouns go before the verb in negative commands:
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No lo bebas. (Don’t drink it.)
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No me escribas. (Don’t write to me.)
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Reflexive verbs follow the same rule:
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No te duermas. (Don’t fall asleep.)
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"Nosotros" commands suggest "let’s not" do something:
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No comamos aquí. (Let’s not eat here.)
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Practice Exercise
Turn these affirmative commands into negative ones:
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Come la pizza. (Eat the pizza.) → No comas la pizza.
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Abre la puerta. (Open the door.) → No abras la puerta.
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Bebed mucho. (Drink a lot.) → No bebáis mucho.
Conclusion
Negative commands for -ER and -IR verbs follow a simple pattern: "no" + present "yo" form – "o" + opposite ending (-as/-an). Keep practicing, and soon you’ll be giving commands confidently!
For more Spanish lessons, check out our other articles. ¡No dejes de practicar! (Don’t stop practicing!)
