In affirmative commands, pronouns attach to the end of the verb. The moment you make the command negative, the picture flips: the pronouns jump back to their usual position in front of the verb, and the whole thing looks like an ordinary conjugated sentence again.
The basic rule
Put object and reflexive pronouns before the verb in a negative command, just as you would in any present-tense sentence.
No me lo digas.
Don't tell it to me.
No te vayas todavía.
Don't leave yet.
No lo toques, está caliente.
Don't touch it, it's hot.
Notice how me, te, se, and lo sit between no and the verb. There are no attached pronouns, no written accents to add, and no spelling surprises.
Side-by-side contrast
The same verb can illustrate both patterns beautifully. Compare an affirmative command and its negative counterpart:
| Affirmative | Negative | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Dímelo. | No me lo digas. | Tell it to me. / Don't tell it to me. |
| Levántate. | No te levantes. | Get up. / Don't get up. |
| Cómelo. | No lo comas. | Eat it. / Don't eat it. |
| Háblale. | No le hables. | Talk to him. / Don't talk to him. |
| Siéntense. | No se sienten. | Sit down. / Don't sit down. |
Two pronouns, negative
When both an indirect and a direct object pronoun appear, they travel together. They still come as a pair (indirect first, then direct), and the pair sits in front of the verb.
No me lo repitas, ya lo escuché.
Don't repeat it to me, I already heard it.
No se las des todavía.
Don't give them to her yet.
Remember that le and les change to se before lo, la, los, or las — this happens in negative commands too.
Reflexive negative commands
Reflexive pronouns follow the same rule: before the verb in the negative.
No te olvides de cerrar la puerta.
Don't forget to close the door.
No se duerman durante la película.
Don't fall asleep during the movie.
Why the flip?
Spanish treats affirmative commands as unusually "active" forms — the only place in the language where pronouns come after the verb. As soon as a negative word appears in front, the sentence behaves like any other conjugated sentence, and the pronouns return to their default spot.
This pattern is one of the most common sources of errors for learners, because the instinct to keep pronouns attached is strong once you have practiced affirmative commands. When in doubt, check whether the word no (or another negative word) is in front — if it is, the pronouns come first.
Related Topics
- Pronouns with Affirmative CommandsB1 — How object and reflexive pronouns attach to the end of affirmative commands, and when a written accent is required.
- Tú: Negative CommandsB1 — Tell someone not to do something with no plus the present subjunctive tú form.
- Accent Marks on Commands with PronounsB1 — The stress rules that explain exactly when to add a written accent to a command form with attached pronouns.