complacer Negative Imperative Conjugation
complacer — to please
The negative imperative always uses the present subjunctive: no complazcas, no complazca, no complazcamos, no complazcáis, no complazcan.
complacer Negative Imperative Forms
When to Use the Negative Imperative
Use this to tell someone NOT to please or indulge someone, often used when advising against being a 'people pleaser'.
Notes on complacer in the Negative Imperative
All forms maintain the 'zc' spelling characteristic of the present subjunctive.
Example Sentences
No complazcas todos sus caprichos.
Don't indulge (please) all his whims.
tú
No complazca a quien no lo merece.
Do not please someone who doesn't deserve it.
usted
No complazcáis a los que solo critican.
Don't please those who only criticize.
vosotros
Common Mistakes
Mistake: Saying 'no complace' for a command.
Correct: no complazcas
Why: Negative commands must use the subjunctive form, not the indicative.
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Related Tenses
Present
yo: complazco
The present tense is mostly regular, except for the 'yo' form: complazco.
Preterite
yo: complací
The preterite of complacer is regular: complací, complaciste, complació, complacimos, complacisteis, complacieron.
Imperfect
yo: complacía
The imperfect of complacer is regular: complacía, complacías, complacía, complacíamos, complacíais, complacían.
Future
yo: complaceré
The future tense is regular: complaceré, complacerás, complacerá, complaceremos, complaceréis, complacerán.
Conditional
yo: complacería
The conditional of complacer is regular: complacería, complacerías, complacería, complaceríamos, complaceríais, complacerían.
Present Subjunctive
yo: complazca
The present subjunctive of complacer uses the 'z' in the stem: complazca, complazcas, complazca, complazcamos, complazcáis, complazcan.
Imperfect Subjunctive
yo: complaciera
The imperfect subjunctive is regular based on the preterite stem: complaciera, complacieras, complaciera, complaciéramos, complacierais, complacieran.
Affirmative Imperative
yo: complace
The imperative uses 'complace' for tú and 'complazca' for formal commands.