Here is one of the cleanest structural surprises in Greek: there is no negative imperative. You learn to say Γράψε! (Write!), Έλα! (Come!), Φύγε! (Leave!) — and then discover that you cannot simply stick "don't" in front of them. There is no ×μη γράψε, no ×μη έλα, no ×μη φύγε. To forbid, Greek switches to a completely different structure: μη(ν) + the subjunctive (the plain verb form, without θα or να spelled out). For English speakers this is a genuine break, because English does just add "don't" to the same command — so the positive and negative commands feel like they should be symmetrical. In Greek they are built on different machinery.
The rule: μη(ν) + subjunctive
Take the particle μη(ν) and follow it with the second-person subjunctive — which, in the affirmative, is identical to the present or aorist verb form you would use after να:
Μην το κάνεις αυτό, θα το μετανιώσεις.
min to kánis aftó, tha to metaniósis
Don't do that, you'll regret it.
Μη φεύγεις ακόμα, μόλις ήρθες!
mi févyis akóma, mólis írthes
Don't leave yet, you just got here!
Μην ανησυχείς, θα τα καταφέρεις μια χαρά.
min anisichís, tha ta kataféris mia chará
Don't worry, you'll do just fine.
Παιδιά, μη μιλάτε την ώρα του μαθήματος.
pedhiá, mi miláte tin óra tu mathímatos
Kids, don't talk during the lesson.
The plural (μη μιλάτε) is, as always, both the plural and the polite singular. Notice there is no special "negative command verb" — the verb is just the ordinary subjunctive, and μη(ν) does all the prohibiting.
μη or μην? The final -ν rule
You will see both μη and μην, and the choice follows the same euphonic rule as δεν, τον and την. Keep the final -ν when the next word begins with a vowel or with one of κ, π, τ, ξ, ψ, μπ, ντ, γκ, τσ, τζ; drop it before the other consonants (β, γ, δ, ζ, θ, λ, μ, ν, ρ, σ, φ, χ).
| Keep μην | Drop to μη |
|---|---|
| Μην ξεχάσεις (before ξ) | Μη φεύγεις (before φ) |
| Μην το πεις (before τ) | Μη μιλάς (before μ) |
| Μην αργείς (before vowel) | Μη βιάζεσαι (before β) |
Μην ξεχάσεις να κλείσεις τον φούρνο πριν φύγεις.
min ksechásis na klísis ton fúrno prin fíyis
Don't forget to turn off the oven before you leave.
Μη με περιμένεις για φαγητό, θα αργήσω.
mi me periménis ya fayitó, tha aryíso
Don't wait for me for dinner, I'll be late.
The aspect contrast survives into the negative
Everything you learned about perfective vs imperfective carries straight over. In a prohibition, the imperfective forbids an action in general or an ongoing one ("don't be doing it / ever / keep from doing it"), while the perfective forbids a single specific act ("don't do it this once, right now"):
Μη γράφεις με κόκκινο στυλό, δεν επιτρέπεται.
mi ghráfis me kókino stiló, dhen epitrépete
Don't write in red pen, it's not allowed. (as a rule)
Μη γράψεις το όνομά σου στο τεστ, είναι ανώνυμο.
mi ghrápsis to ónomá su sto test, íne anónimo
Don't write your name on the test, it's anonymous. (this once)
Μη μου το λες συνέχεια, το κατάλαβα.
mi mu to les sinéchia, to katálava
Don't keep telling me that, I got it. (ongoing)
Μην το πεις σε κανέναν, είναι έκπληξη.
min to pis se kanénan, íne ékpliksi
Don't tell anyone, it's a surprise. (this once)
The same "once vs always" logic applies exactly as it does in the positive command; see Aspect in the Imperative and the Imperfective Imperative.
The pronoun flips back to the front
This is the detail that catches everyone. After a positive imperative the object pronoun leans on the end of the verb (Δώσε μου το). But because the negative command is really a subjunctive clause introduced by μη(ν), the pronoun goes back to its normal place before the verb:
Δώσε μου το κλειδί της αποθήκης.
dhóse mu to klidhí tis apothíkis
Give me the key to the storeroom. (positive — pronoun after)
Μη μου δίνεις το κλειδί ακόμα, θα το χάσω.
mi mu dhínis to klidhí akóma, tha to cháso
Don't give me the key yet, I'll lose it. (negative — pronoun before)
So the positive and negative of the same command mirror each other in two ways at once: the verb form changes (imperative → subjunctive) and the pronoun jumps from behind the verb to in front of it. The enclitic side of this is on Clitics With the Imperative, and the broader prohibition patterns on Negative Commands and Prohibitions.
Common Mistakes
1. Negating the imperative form directly. This is the headline error: there is no ×μη + imperative. Swap in μη(ν) + subjunctive.
❌ Μη γράψε τίποτα ακόμα.
Incorrect — there is no negative imperative; use μη + subjunctive: Μη γράψεις.
✅ Μη γράψεις τίποτα ακόμα.
mi ghrápsis típota akóma
Don't write anything yet.
2. Dropping -ν before a vowel. Before a vowel the particle must keep its -ν.
❌ Μη ανησυχείς για το αποτέλεσμα.
Incorrect — before a vowel the -ν stays: Μην ανησυχείς.
✅ Μην ανησυχείς για το αποτέλεσμα.
min anisichís ya to apotélezma
Don't worry about the result.
3. Leaving the pronoun after the verb, as in the positive command. In the negative it moves in front.
❌ Μη λες μου ψέματα.
Incorrect — in a negative command the clitic precedes the verb: Μη μου λες.
✅ Μη μου λες ψέματα.
mi mu les psémata
Don't lie to me.
4. Using δεν instead of μη(ν) to forbid. δεν negates statements of fact; a prohibition needs μη(ν).
❌ Δεν μιλάς έτσι στη μητέρα σου!
Incorrect as a command — δεν makes a statement; to forbid, use μη: Μη μιλάς.
✅ Μη μιλάς έτσι στη μητέρα σου!
mi milás étsi sti mitéra su
Don't talk to your mother like that!
Key Takeaways
- Greek has no negative imperative: every prohibition is μη(ν) + subjunctive (Μην το κάνεις, Μη φεύγεις).
- The negator is μη(ν), never δεν — δεν is for statements of fact, μη(ν) for commands and the subjunctive.
- μην keeps its -ν before a vowel or κ, π, τ, ξ, ψ, μπ, ντ, γκ, τσ, τζ; elsewhere it is μη.
- The aspect contrast persists: Μη γράφεις (as a rule) vs Μη γράψεις (this once).
- Object pronouns move before the verb in a negative command (Μη μου το λες), the mirror image of the positive Δώσε μου το.
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Start learning Greek →Related Topics
- Clitics With the ImperativeB1 — Why weak pronouns jump to the far side of a positive command (Πες μου, Δώσε μού το) — the enclitic order, the second accent, the apostrophe contraction, and the way the negative flips them straight back in front.