
masticar Negative Imperative Conjugation
masticar — to chew
The negative imperative uses the present subjunctive: no mastiques (tú), no mastique (usted), no mastiquemos (nosotros), no mastiquéis (vosotros), no mastiquen (ustedes).
masticar Negative Imperative Forms
When to Use the Negative Imperative
Use this to tell someone not to chew something, like 'Don't chew with your mouth open' or 'Don't chew your pens.'
Notes on masticar in the Negative Imperative
All forms require the 'qu' spelling change because they are based on the present subjunctive.
Example Sentences
No mastiques con la boca abierta.
Don't chew with your mouth open.
tú
No mastique chicle durante la entrevista.
Don't chew gum during the interview.
No mastiquéis los lápices.
Don't chew the pencils.
vosotros
Common Mistakes
Mistake: no mastica
Correct: no mastiques
Why: Negative commands must use the subjunctive form, not the indicative 'tú' form.
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Related Tenses
Present
yo: mastico
Masticar is a completely regular -ar verb in the present tense: mastico, masticas, mastica, masticamos, masticáis, mastican.
Preterite
yo: mastiqué
Masticar is regular except for the 'yo' form, which changes to mastiqué to keep the hard 'k' sound.
Imperfect
yo: masticaba
The imperfect of masticar is regular: masticaba, masticabas, masticaba, masticábamos, masticabais, masticaban.
Future
yo: masticaré
The future of masticar is regular: masticaré, masticarás, masticará, masticaremos, masticaréis, masticarán.
Conditional
yo: masticaría
The conditional of masticar is regular: masticaría, masticarías, masticaría, masticaríamos, masticaríais, masticarían.
Present Subjunctive
yo: mastique
Masticar undergoes a spelling change from 'c' to 'qu' in all present subjunctive forms: mastique, mastiques, mastique, mastiquemos, mastiquéis, mastiquen.
Imperfect Subjunctive
yo: masticara
The imperfect subjunctive of masticar is regular: masticara, masticaras, masticara, masticáramos, masticarais, masticaran.
Affirmative Imperative
yo: mastica
The imperative forms are: mastica (tú), mastique (usted), mastiquemos (nosotros), masticad (vosotros), mastiquen (ustedes).