machacar Negative Imperative Conjugation
machacar — to crush
The negative imperative of machacar always uses the 'qu' spelling change: no machaques, no machaque, no machaquemos, etc.
machacar Negative Imperative Forms
When to Use the Negative Imperative
Use this to tell someone NOT to crush something (e.g., 'don't crush the delicate herbs too much').
Notes on machacar in the Negative Imperative
All forms use the present subjunctive stems, which include the 'c' to 'qu' spelling change.
Example Sentences
No machaques tanto la albahaca, se pone negra.
Don't crush the basil so much, it turns black.
tú
No machaque el papel, por favor.
Don't crush (crumple) the paper, please.
No machaquen las flores del jardín.
Don't crush the flowers in the garden.
Common Mistakes
Mistake: Saying 'no machaca' for the negative command.
Correct: no machaques
Why: Negative commands must use the subjunctive form, not the indicative 'tú' form.
Master Spanish verbs in context
Memorizing tables only gets you so far. Read 200+ illustrated and narrated Spanish stories to see verbs like 'machacar' used naturally — in the tenses you're learning.
Related Tenses
Present
yo: machaco
The present tense of machacar is completely regular: machaco, machacas, machaca, machacamos, machacáis, machacan.
Preterite
yo: machaque
The preterite of machacar is regular except for the 'yo' form, which changes to 'machaqué'.
Imperfect
yo: machacaba
The imperfect of machacar is regular: machacaba, machacabas, machacaba, machacábamos, machacabais, machacaban.
Future
yo: machacaré
The future tense of machacar is regular: add endings to the infinitive (machacaré, machacarás, etc.).
Conditional
yo: machacaría
The conditional of machacar is regular: attach -ía endings to the full infinitive (machacaría, machacarías, etc.).
Present Subjunctive
yo: machaque
The present subjunctive of machacar features a spelling change (c to qu) in all forms: machaque, machaques, machaque, machaquemos, machaquéis, machaquen.
Imperfect Subjunctive
yo: machacara
The imperfect subjunctive of machacar is regular, based on the third-person plural preterite: machacara, machacaras, machacara...
Affirmative Imperative
yo: machaca
The imperative of machacar uses the spelling change 'qu' for formal commands (machaque) and 'c' for informal (machaca).