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Spanish Commands with Pronouns: The Ultimate Affirmative vs. Negative Guide
Ever wanted to tell someone in Spanish, "Give it to me!" or "Don't tell her!"? If so, you've stumbled upon one of the most practical and powerful parts of Spanish grammar: commands with pronouns.
It might sound complicated, but it's all about knowing where to place little words like me, te, lo, la, and se. The best part? There are just two core rules to learn, and they depend on one simple question: is your command affirmative (a "do this!" command) or negative (a "don't do this!" command)?
By the end of this guide, you'll be able to boss your friends around, make polite requests, and give clear instructions like a native speaker. Let's dive in!
First, A Quick Refresher
Before we get to the main event, let's quickly review the two building blocks we're working with:
-
Commands (The Imperative Mood): These are verbs used to give orders, instructions, or advice. For this guide, we'll focus on the informal tú (you) commands, which you'd use with friends, family, or people your age.
¡Habla!(Speak!)¡Come!(Eat!)¡Escribe!(Write!)
-
Object Pronouns: These tiny words replace nouns to avoid repetition. They're the "it," "him," "her," or "me" in a sentence.
- Direct Object Pronouns (DOPs): Answer "what?" or "whom?"
lo,la(it, him, her)los,las(them)- Indirect Object Pronouns (IOPs): Answer "to whom?" or "for whom?"
me(to/for me)te(to/for you)le(to/for him, her, you formal)nos(to/for us)os(to/for you all - Spain)les(to/for them, you all)
Okay, with that out of the way, let's get to the fun part!
The Golden Rule of Affirmative Commands: Stick 'Em Together!
When you're telling someone to do something, the rule is simple: attach the pronouns directly to the end of the command.
Formula: Command Verb + Pronoun(s)
Let's see it in action.
With One Pronoun
Imagine you want your friend to buy the book (el librothe book).
- The command is
¡Compra!(Buy!) - The direct object is
el libro, which we can replace with the pronounlo.
Now, just stick them together:
¡Compra + lo = ¡Cómpralo! (Buy it!)
Easy, right? Here are a few more examples:
- ¡Canta la canción!Sing the song! ->
¡Cántala! - ¡Di me!Tell me! ->
¡Dime! - ¡Ayuda nos!Help us! ->
¡Ayúdanos!
Watch Out for the Accent!
Did you notice the accent marks on cómpralo, cántala, and ayúdanos? When you attach a pronoun, you add a syllable. To keep the stress on the correct part of the original verb, you often need to add a written accent.
Simple rule: If the original command verb has two or more syllables, adding a pronoun will almost always require an accent mark. (e.g., ES-CRI-be + lo = es-CRÍ-be-lo). One-syllable commands like di or haz don't need an accent with one pronoun (dime, hazlo).
With Two Pronouns (The "RID" Rule)
Sometimes you need to use two pronouns, like in "Buy it for me." When this happens, they follow a specific order: Reflexive -> Indirect -> Direct.
Easy Acronym: RID
Just remember RID to get the pronoun order right every time! Reflexive - Indirect - Direct
Let's say you want your friend to pass the salt (la salthe salt) to you.
- Command:
¡Pasa!(Pass!) - Indirect Object (to whom?):
me(to me) - Direct Object (what?):
la(it, the salt)
Following the RID rule (I before D), we get:
¡Pasa + me + la = ¡Pásamela! (Pass it to me!)
The "Can't Say Le Lo" Rule
Spanish has one quirky sound rule here. You can't have two pronouns starting with "L" next to each other (like le lo or les la). It just sounds clunky.
When le or les comes before lo, la, los, or las, the le/les magically changes to se.
Drag the handle to compare
¡Escribe la carta a María!(Write the letter to María!) ->¡Escríbesela!(Write it to her!)le(to her) +la(it) becomesse la.
How would you say 'Do it!' in Spanish, referring to 'la tarea' (the homework)?
The Golden Rule of Negative Commands: Keep Your Distance!
Now for the "don't do this!" commands. The rule here is the complete opposite. The pronouns are not attached. Instead, they go before the verb.
Formula: No + Pronoun(s) + Verb
A Quick Note on Negative Command Verbs
The verb form for negative tú commands is a little different. You take the yo form of the verb, drop the -o, and add the opposite ending.
- -ar verbs get -es:
hablar->hablo->hables->No hables - -er/-ir verbs get -as:
comer->como->comas->No comas
With One Pronoun
Let's tell your friend not to buy the book (el libro).
- Negative Command:
¡No compres!(Don't buy!) - Pronoun:
lo(it)
Now, just place the pronoun between No and the verb:
No + lo + compres = ¡No lo compres! (Don't buy it!)
It's that straightforward! The pronouns live their own separate lives before the verb.
- ¡No cantes la canción!Don't sing the song! ->
¡No la cantes! - ¡No me digas!Don't tell me!
- ¡No nos ayudes!Don't help us!
With Two Pronouns
The order is the same (RID), and the placement is the same (before the verb).
Let's tell your friend not to pass the salt (la sal) to you.
No + me + la + pases = ¡No me la pases! (Don't pass it to me!)
And yes, the le lo -> se lo rule still applies here too!
- ¡No le des el libro a Juan!Don't give the book to Juan! ->
¡No se lo des!(Don't give it to him!)
Arrange the words to form a correct sentence:
Affirmative vs. Negative: The Ultimate Showdown
The best way to solidify this concept is to see them side-by-side. Notice how the pronouns are either attached at the end or floating before the verb.
Drag the handle to compare
Drag the handle to compare
Drag the handle to compare
Don't Forget the Irregulars!
Some of the most common verbs have irregular affirmative tú commands. You just have to memorize them, but there are only eight!
| Verb | Affirmative tú Command | Example with Pronouns | Negative tú Command |
|---|---|---|---|
| decir (to say/tell) | di | ¡Dime la verdad! (Tell me the truth!) | no digas |
| hacer (to do/make) | haz | ¡Hazlo ahora! (Do it now!) | no hagas |
| ir (to go) | ve | ¡Vete! (Go away!) | no vayas |
| poner (to put) | pon | ¡Ponlo en la mesa! (Put it on the table!) | no pongas |
| salir (to leave) | sal | ¡Sal de aquí! (Get out of here!) | no salgas |
| ser (to be) | sé | ¡Sé bueno! (Be good!) | no seas |
| tener (to have) | ten | ¡Ten cuidado! (Be careful!) | no tengas |
| venir (to come) | ven | ¡Ven acá! (Come here!) | no vengas |
Negative Irregulars are Regular?
Here's some good news! The negative commands for these "irregular" verbs follow the regular pattern for negative commands (yo form, drop -o, add opposite ending). For example, hacer -> hago -> hagas -> ¡No lo hagas! (Don't do it!).
Let's Practice!
Time to put your knowledge to the test.
How do you say 'Explain it to me' (referring to 'el problema')?
How do you say 'Don't eat them' (referring to 'los tacos')?
You've Got This!
See? Not so scary after all. It all boils down to one simple choice:
- Positive command? Attach the pronouns.
¡Dímelo! - Negative command? Put the pronouns before the verb.
¡No me lo digas!
Keep practicing this, and soon it will become second nature. You'll be giving directions, making requests, and interacting in Spanish more smoothly and confidently than ever before. ¡Sigue practicando! (Keep practicing!)