How to Say "don't be" in Spanish
The Spanish word for “don't be” is “tengas” — A2 level. This is a very common word in everyday Spanish.
English → SpanishA2
VerbA2informal
for commands like 'don't be afraid/hungry'
Examples
No tengas miedo, el perro no muerde.
Don't be afraid, the dog doesn't bite.
No tengas prisa, tenemos mucho tiempo.
Don't be in a hurry, we have a lot of time.
Por favor, no tengas los pies sobre la mesa.
Please, don't have your feet on the table.
Making Negative Commands for 'Tú'
To tell a friend ('tú') NOT to do something, you use 'no' plus this special verb form. For 'tener', it's 'no tengas'. Notice it's the same form used for wishes and doubts!
Using the Wrong Command Form
Mistake: “No ten cuidado.”
Correction: No tengas cuidado. For negative commands with 'tú', you can't use the short form ('ten'). You must use the longer 'tengas' form.
Related Translations
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