tocar Negative Imperative Conjugation
tocar — to touch
Negative commands for tocar always use the 'qu' spelling: no toques, no toque, no toquen.
tocar Negative Imperative Forms
When to Use the Negative Imperative
Use this to tell someone NOT to touch something (like wet paint) or not to play an instrument.
Notes on tocar in the Negative Imperative
Since all negative commands use the present subjunctive forms, they all feature the 'c' to 'qu' spelling change.
Example Sentences
¡No toques eso! Está muy caliente.
Don't touch that! It's very hot.
tú
No toquen los instrumentos sin permiso.
Don't touch the instruments without permission.
ustedes
Common Mistakes
Mistake: Saying 'no toca' for 'don't touch'.
Correct: no toques
Why: Negative commands must use the subjunctive form, not the indicative.
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Related Tenses
Present
yo: toco
Tocar is completely regular in the present tense: toco, tocas, toca, tocamos, tocáis, tocan.
Preterite
yo: toqué
The preterite of tocar has a spelling change in the 'yo' form (toqué) to keep the hard 'c' sound.
Imperfect
yo: tocaba
The imperfect of tocar is regular: tocaba, tocabas, tocaba, tocábamos, tocabais, tocaban.
Future
yo: tocaré
The future tense of tocar is regular, adding endings to the infinitive: tocaré, tocarás, tocará...
Conditional
yo: tocaría
The conditional of tocar is regular: tocaría, tocarías, tocaría, tocaríamos, tocaríais, tocarían.
Present Subjunctive
yo: toque
The present subjunctive of tocar changes 'c' to 'qu' in all forms: toque, toques, toque, toquemos, toquéis, toquen.
Imperfect Subjunctive
yo: tocara
The imperfect subjunctive of tocar is built from the 'ellos' preterite: tocara, tocaras, tocara...
Affirmative Imperative
yo: toca
The imperative of tocar gives commands: toca (tú), toque (usted), tocad (vosotros).