B1.19 - Health insurance

The negative imperative: no autorices, no cojas, no asistas...

El imperativo negativo: no autorices, no cojas, no asistas...

El imperativo negativo se utiliza para dar órdenes o instrucciones para que no se realice una acción.

(The negative imperative is used to give orders or instructions so that an action is not carried out.)

What you’re building: negative commands

In Spanish, a negative command is not made with the “normal” imperative forms.

Rule: no + present subjunctive.

  • Don’t attend → No asistas.
  • Don’t authorize → No autorices.
  • Don’t take (a taxi) → No cojas.

Fast formation: use the subjunctive “switch”

To get the present subjunctive quickly:

  1. Start from yo in the present: autorizo, cojo, asisto.
  2. Drop the -o: autoric-, coj-, asist-.
  3. Add subjunctive endings (note the swap):
Verb type Subjunctive endings Example (tú)
-ar e, es, e, emos, éis, en autorizar → no autorices
-er / -ir a, as, a, amos, áis, an coger → no cojas / asistir → no asistas

Choose the person first (this avoids most mistakes)

Before you conjugate, decide who you are addressing:

  • tú (informal singular): No autorices / No cojas / No asistas
  • usted (formal singular): No autorice / No coja / No asista
  • nosotros (let’s not…): No autoricemos / No cojamos / No asistamos
  • vosotros (Spain, informal plural): No autoricéis / No cojáis / No asistáis
  • ustedes (plural, formal in Spain / standard in LatAm): No autoricen / No cojan / No asistan

Common trap: don’t use the present indicative

English “don’t + verb” looks simple, but Spanish is different.

  • Instruction / prohibition (command): No asistas.
  • Statement about a habit/fact: No asistes = “You don’t attend (in general).”

Self-check: If it means “Don’t do it!”, you need no + subjunctive.

Irregularity rule: follow the subjunctive, not the positive imperative

Negative commands copy subjunctive irregularities.

Positive Negative Why
haz (tú) no hagas Negative uses subjunctive (haga, hagas…)

Practical takeaway: when in doubt, conjugate as if you were making a subjunctive sentence, and put no in front.

Mini checklist before you move on

  • 1) Is it a command? If yes → no + subjunctive.
  • 2) Who is it for? tú / usted / nosotros / vosotros / ustedes.
  • 3) Did the ending “swap” happen?
    • -ar → e (no autorice, no autorices…)
    • -er/-ir → a (no coja, no asista…)
  • 4) Any irregular? Use the subjunctive form (e.g., no hagas).
  1. Negative imperative ⭢ no + present subjunctive.
Verbos en -arVerbos en -erVerbos en -ir
¡No autorices! (tú)¡No cojas! (tú)¡No asistas! (tú)
¡No autorice! (usted)¡No coja! (usted)¡No asista! (usted)
¡No autoricemos! (nosotros)¡No cojamos! (nosotros)¡No asistamos! (nosotros)
¡No autoricéis! (vosotros)¡No cojáis! (vosotros)¡No asistáis! (vosotros)
¡No autoricen! (ustedes)¡No cojan! (ustedes)¡No asistan! (ustedes)

Exceptions!

  1. In the negative imperative, verbs follow the irregularities of the subjunctive, not the positive imperative (hacer ⭢ haz, no hacer ⭢ no haga).

Exercise 1: Multiple choice

Instruction: Choose the correct answer

Fetching your corrections... Please don't close this page yet.

1. Por favor, ________ cita con el especialista sin pasar antes por tu médico de cabecera.

Please, ________ an appointment with the specialist without first going through your primary care doctor.

2. Señora, ________ el cargo a su tarjeta sanitaria si la póliza no está vigente.

Ma'am, ________ the charge to your health card if the policy is not valid.

3. Por favor, ________ a la consulta sin la tarjeta sanitaria y un documento de identidad.

Please, ________ the appointment without your health card and an identity document.

4. Durante el tratamiento, ________ ibuprofeno sin consultármelo.

During the treatment, ________ ibuprofen without consulting me.

Exercise 2: Rewrite the phrases

Instruction: Rewrite the sentences as negative imperative commands, using: no + present subjunctive (keep the same addressee in parentheses).

Fetching your corrections... Please don't close this page yet.

Show/Hide translation Show/Hide hints
  1. (tú) Autoriza la compra sin leer el contrato.
    ⇒ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Example
    No autorices la compra sin leer el contrato.
    (Don’t authorize the purchase without reading the contract.)
  2. (usted) Coja el ascensor hasta la última planta.
    ⇒ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Example
    No coja el ascensor hasta la última planta.
    (Don’t take the elevator to the top floor.)
  3. (nosotros) Asistamos a la reunión aunque estemos con fiebre.
    ⇒ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Example
    No asistamos a la reunión aunque estemos con fiebre.
    (Let’s not attend the meeting even though we have a fever.)
  4. (vosotros) Autorizáis el pago si falta una factura.
    ⇒ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Example
    No autoricéis el pago si falta una factura.
    (Don’t authorize the payment if an invoice is missing.)

Exercise 3: Multiple Choice

Instruction: Choose the correct sentence.

Fetching your corrections... Please don't close this page yet.

1.
Incorrect: “no asistes” is present indicative; to give the negative instruction you need the subjunctive (no asistas).
2.
Incorrect: “no coge” is present indicative; the correct negative form is “no cojas”. It also conveys the idea of giving a direct instruction to the person you are addressing.

Written by

This content has been designed and reviewed by the coLanguage pedagogical team: About coLanguage