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A teacher standing in front of a group of children, pointing to a large globe.

instruir Negative Imperative Conjugation

instruir — to instruct

B1irregular -ir★★★
Quick answer:

Negative commands use 'no' plus the present subjunctive: no instruyas, no instruya, no instruyamos, no instruyáis, no instruyan.

instruir Negative Imperative Forms

túno instruyas
ustedno instruya
nosotrosno instruyamos
vosotrosno instruyáis
ustedesno instruyan

When to Use the Negative Imperative

Use this to tell someone NOT to provide instructions or guidance in a specific moment.

Notes on instruir in the Negative Imperative

Every form uses the 'y' stem because it is identical to the present subjunctive.

Example Sentences

  • No instruyas a los niños sin mi permiso.

    Don't instruct the children without my permission.

    tú

  • No instruya al testigo, por favor.

    Do not instruct (coach) the witness, please.

  • No instruyan a nadie hasta que yo llegue.

    Don't instruct anyone until I arrive.

Common Mistakes

  • Mistake: Saying 'no instruye' for a 'tú' command.

    Correct: no instruyas

    Why: Negative commands must always use the subjunctive form, never the indicative 'instruye'.

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Related Tenses

Present

yo: instruyo

The present of instruir adds a 'y' before endings: instruyo, instruyes, instruye, instruimos, instruís, instruyen.

Preterite

yo: instruí

Instruir in the preterite features a 'y' in the third-person forms: instruí, instruiste, instruyó, instruimos, instruisteis, instruyeron.

Imperfect

yo: instruía

The imperfect of instruir is regular: instruía, instruías, instruía, instruíamos, instruíais, instruían.

Future

yo: instruiré

The future of instruir is regular: instruiré, instruirás, instruirá, instruiremos, instruiréis, instruirán.

Conditional

yo: instruiría

The conditional of instruir is regular: instruiría, instruirías, instruiría, instruiríamos, instruiríais, instruirían.

Present Subjunctive

yo: instruya

The present subjunctive of instruir uses a 'y' in all forms: instruya, instruyas, instruya, instruyamos, instruyáis, instruyan.

Imperfect Subjunctive

yo: instruyera

The imperfect subjunctive of instruir uses the 'y' from the preterite: instruyera, instruyeras, instruyera, instruyéramos, instruyerais, instruyeran.

Affirmative Imperative

yo: instruye

Use the imperative to give orders: instruye (tú), instruya (usted), instruid (vosotros), instruyan (ustedes).