A command (imperative) tells someone to do — or not do — something. English forms it by using the base verb, with no subject stated.
Structure: [base verb] (+ object)
Sentence
Type
Close the door.
affirmative command
Don’t close the door.
negative command
English command examples
Sentence
Type
Sit down.
affirmative
Don’t sit there.
negative
Open the window.
affirmative
Don’t open that box.
negative
Call me later.
affirmative
Don’t call after 9pm.
negative
Wait here.
affirmative
Don’t wait for me.
negative
Listen carefully.
affirmative
Don’t worry.
negative
Why it works this way
English doesn’t conjugate the imperative — it’s always the bare base form, regardless of who’s being addressed
Negative commands just add don’t in front
The subject (“you”) is implied, never stated
How Spanish handles commands differently
Spanish does conjugate commands — the form changes depending on who you’re addressing (tú, usted, vosotros, ustedes) and whether the command is affirmative or negative
Affirmative and negative commands often use different forms entirely for the same person — not just “add a negator”
Object and reflexive pronouns attach to the end of affirmative commands, but go before negative commands
Key differences
English
Spanish
One form for everyone
Different form per person (tú/usted/vosotros/ustedes)
Negative = “don’t” + base verb
Negative often uses a different conjugation than affirmative
Pronouns always before verb
Pronouns attach after affirmative commands, go before negative ones
Informal singular (tú) commands
Affirmative: usually the same as the él/ella present-tense form. Negative: use the present subjunctive tú form (in practice: opposite-vowel ending — -ar verbs take -es, -er/-ir verbs take -as).
Infinitive
Affirmative (tú)
Negative (tú)
hablar
habla
no hables
comer
come
no comas
escribir
escribe
no escribas
cerrar
cierra
no cierres
abrir
abre
no abras
Spanish
English
Habla más despacio.
Speak more slowly.
No hables tan rápido.
Don’t speak so fast.
Come las verduras.
Eat the vegetables.
No comas eso.
Don’t eat that.
Escribe tu nombre aquí.
Write your name here.
No escribas en el libro.
Don’t write in the book.
Cierra la puerta.
Close the door.
No cierres la ventana.
Don’t close the window.
Abre los ojos.
Open your eyes.
No abras esa caja.
Don’t open that box.
Formal singular (usted) commands
Same form is used for both affirmative and negative — only the presence of no changes.
Affirmative: infinitive, drop the -r, add -d. Negative: uses the present subjunctive vosotros form.
Infinitive
Affirmative (vosotros)
Negative (vosotros)
hablar
hablad
no habléis
comer
comed
no comáis
escribir
escribid
no escribáis
Spanish
English
Hablad con respeto.
Speak with respect.
No habléis todos a la vez.
Don’t all talk at once.
Comed algo antes de salir.
Eat something before leaving.
No comáis en clase.
Don’t eat in class.
Escribid vuestros nombres.
Write your names.
No escribáis en la pizarra.
Don’t write on the board.
Venid aquí.
Come here.
Sentaos, por favor.
Sit down, please.
No os preocupéis.
Don’t worry.
Callaos, por favor.
Be quiet, please.
Reflexive os rule: When attaching reflexive os to an affirmative vosotros command, drop the final -d (e.g. sentad + os → sentaos; callad + os → callaos). Exception: irse becomes idos.
Formal plural (ustedes) commands
Same pattern as usted, just plural — one form covers affirmative and negative.
Infinitive
Affirmative (ustedes)
Negative (ustedes)
hablar
hablen
no hablen
comer
coman
no coman
escribir
escriban
no escriban
Spanish
English
Hablen más despacio, por favor.
Speak more slowly, please.
No hablen todos juntos.
Don’t all talk together.
Coman cuando quieran.
Eat whenever you want.
Pasen, por favor.
Come in, please.
Tomen asiento.
Take a seat.
No se preocupen.
Don’t worry.
Firmen aquí.
Sign here.
Esperen un momento.
Wait a moment.
No lleguen tarde.
Don’t arrive late.
Disfruten la comida.
Enjoy the meal.
Pronoun placement with commands
Rule
Example
English
Affirmative → pronoun attaches to the end
Cómpralo.
Buy it.
Negative → pronoun goes before
No lo compres.
Don’t buy it.
Reflexive, affirmative
Siéntate.
Sit down.
Reflexive, negative
No te sientes ahí.
Don’t sit there.
Direct object attached
Tráelo aquí.
Bring it here.
Direct object before (negative)
No lo traigas.
Don’t bring it.
Indirect + direct attached
Dímelo ya.
Tell me it now.
Indirect + direct before (negative)
No se lo digas.
Don’t tell him.
Plural command attached
Llamaos hoy.
Call yourselves today.
Plural command negative
No os llaméis.
Don’t call each other.
Adding a pronoun to an affirmative command can shift the stress — write an accent to keep the original stressed syllable: habla → háblame.
Common mistakes
❌ Using the affirmative tú form for negative: No habla → ✅ no hables — negative uses a different ending
❌ Placing the pronoun before an affirmative command → ✅ attach it: dime, not me di
❌ Attaching the pronoun to a negative command → ✅ no me digas, not no digasme
❌ Using tú command endings with usted → ✅ usted commands use the subjunctive-style ending (hable, not habla)
Summary
Spanish commands conjugate by person (tú/usted/vosotros/ustedes) and by affirmative vs negative — English does neither
Tú and vosotros have different affirmative vs negative forms; usted/ustedes share one form for both
Pronouns attach after affirmative commands, go before negative commands
Vosotros affirmative: drop -r from infinitive, add -d (Castellano-specific — Latin American Spanish uses ustedes instead)