what is it?
Spanish imperatives split into two structurally different forms depending on whether the command is positive or negative. In the affirmative imperative, clitic pronouns (me, te, lo, la, le, nos, os, los, las, les, se) attach directly to the end of the verb — a position called enclisis (e.g. díselo). In the negative imperative, the verb switches to the present subjunctive and the pronouns move before the verb — a position called proclisis (e.g. no te vayas). These two rules are absolute: there is no overlap between them.
when to use it
Affirmative command + pronoun → enclisis. Use the standard imperative form and attach the pronoun(s) to the end: dime, cómpraselo, levántate.
Negative command + pronoun → proclisis. Place no first, then the pronoun(s), then the verb in the present subjunctive: no me digas, no se lo cuentes, no te vayas.
Two pronouns together. When both an indirect-object pronoun and a direct-object pronoun are present, the indirect comes first in both positions: affirmative dáselo / negative no se lo des. Note that le/les always becomes se before lo/la/los/las.
Written accent on affirmative forms with enclitics. Adding one or two pronouns shifts the stress count, so a written accent is required to preserve the original stress: di → díselo, da → dámelas. No accent is needed in the negative because the pronouns are separate words.
formation
The negative imperative uses the present subjunctive for all persons. The table below shows the pattern for three common verbs. The affirmative tú form is included for direct comparison.
| verb | affirmative tú (imperative) | negative tú (present subjunctive) | negative vosotros (present subjunctive) | negative usted (present subjunctive) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ir | ve | no vayas | no vayáis | no vaya |
| decir | di | no digas | no digáis | no diga |
| dar | da | no des | no deis | no dé |
Pronoun order in the negative imperative follows the fixed sequence: no + [indirect-object pronoun] + [direct-object pronoun] + verb.
In the affirmative imperative the sequence is reversed in position but the same in order relative to each other: verb + [indirect-object pronoun] + [direct-object pronoun], written as one word. A written accent is added to keep the stress on the verb's original stressed syllable.
| meaning | affirmative (enclisis) | negative (proclisis) |
|---|---|---|
| tell it to him/her | díselo | no se lo digas |
| give them to me | dámelas | no me las des |
| go away | vete | no te vayas |
| tell me | dime | no me digas |
examples in context
common pitfalls
Attaching the pronoun to a negative imperative. Enclisis is only for affirmative commands. Writing «*no vete» is incorrect because the pronoun must precede the verb in a negative command. The correct form is no te vayas.
Using the affirmative imperative form after «no». The affirmative imperative form cannot be used in a negative command. «*no ven» is wrong; the verb must switch to the present subjunctive: no vengas. This applies to all persons and all verbs, including irregulars.
Dropping the written accent on affirmative forms with two enclitics. When one or two pronouns are added to an affirmative imperative, the original stressed syllable of the verb must carry a written accent to prevent the stress from shifting. Writing «*diselo» is a spelling error; the correct form is díselo. The same rule applies to dámelas, cómpraselo, and similar forms.
A quick test: if «no» is present, the pronoun must be before the verb and the verb must be in the present subjunctive. If «no» is absent, the pronoun must be attached to the end of the imperative form, with a written accent if needed.
Three sentences, graded here. Nothing is saved and no account is needed.
Hay una foto preciosa de las vacaciones en la pantalla — ___ antes de apagar el ordenador. (guardar + la)
Fill in the blank with the correct imperative form of the verb in parentheses, including the pronoun.