merecer Negative Imperative Conjugation
merecer — to deserve
The negative imperative always uses the present subjunctive forms with 'no'.
merecer Negative Imperative Forms
When to Use the Negative Imperative
Use this to tell someone not to act in a way that makes them undeserving, or in philosophical advice.
Notes on merecer in the Negative Imperative
Every form uses the irregular 'merezc-' stem because it is based on the present subjunctive.
Example Sentences
No merezcas el odio de nadie.
Don't deserve anyone's hate.
tú
No merezcamos una mala reputación.
Let's not deserve a bad reputation.
nosotros
No merezcan ese castigo, pórtense bien.
Don't deserve that punishment, behave yourselves.
ustedes
Common Mistakes
Mistake: Saying 'no merece' for a command.
Correct: no merezcas.
Why: Negative commands must use the subjunctive, not the indicative.
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Related Tenses
Present
yo: merezco
Merecer is irregular in the first person (yo merezco), while the other forms follow regular -er patterns.
Preterite
yo: merecí
Merecer is regular in the preterite: merecí, mereciste, mereció, merecimos, merecisteis, merecieron.
Imperfect
yo: merecía
Merecer is regular in the imperfect: merecía, merecías, merecía, merecíamos, merecíais, merecían.
Future
yo: mereceré
The future of merecer is regular: mereceré, merecerás, merecerá, mereceremos, mereceréis, merecerán.
Conditional
yo: merecería
The conditional of merecer is regular: merecería, merecerías, merecería, mereceríamos, mereceríais, merecerían.
Present Subjunctive
yo: merezca
The present subjunctive uses the 'merezc-' stem for all persons.
Imperfect Subjunctive
yo: mereciera
The imperfect subjunctive uses the stem 'merecie-': mereciera, merecieras, mereciera, mereciéramos, merecierais, merecieran.
Affirmative Imperative
yo: merece
The imperative uses 'merece' for tú and 'merezca' for formal commands.