Negative Formal Commands
To give polite but firm instructions in public spaces like museums, use negative formal commands.
To make a formal command negative, simply place no before the affirmative command. The verb forms remain exactly the same.
As a reminder, to form these commands, start with the present tense yo form, drop the -o, and add the "opposite" endings:
- For -ar verbs, add -e (usted) or -en (ustedes).
- For -er and -ir verbs, add -a (usted) or -an (ustedes).
| Madam, do not use the flash here. | Señora, no use el flash aquí. |
| Do not abandon the guided tour. | No abandonen el recorrido guiado. |
Verbs ending in -car, -gar, and -zar require spelling changes to maintain their pronunciation. For example, the c in tocar changes to qu to keep the hard "c" sound.
| Please, do not touch the sculpture. | Por favor, no toquen la escultura. |
Pronouns with Negative Commands
Pronoun placement changes when a command is negative. While pronouns attach directly to the end of affirmative commands, they must go before the verb in negative commands.
| Do not get close to the display case. | No se acerquen a la vitrina. |
| Sir, do not touch it, because you can damage it. | Señor, no la toque, porque puede dañarla. |
| Children, do not behave badly in the museum. | Niños, no se comporten mal en el museo. |
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