Negative and Positive Affirmative in Spanish

This question can sound a little confusing at first, but it really boils down to two simple ideas: how Spanish makes affirmative (positive) statements and commands, and how it makes negative statements and commands. Below I explain both in plain, everyday language with clear examples and helpful tips.

Affirmative vs. Negative statements

For ordinary sentences, Spanish usually uses s to affirm and no to negate. The most common pattern is just putting no before the verb to make a sentence negative:

• Affirmative: Yo voy al cine. (I go / I am going to the movies.)
• Negative: No voy al cine. (I don't go / I'm not going to the movies.)
• Affirming: Vas al cine? S. (Are you going to the movies? Yes.)

Other common contrasts:

• Siempre estudio. (I always study.) vs. Nunca estudio. (I never study.)
• Tengo algo. (I have something.) vs. No tengo nada. (I don't have anything.)

Negative words in Spanish

Spanish has a set of negative and indefinite words that pair with or replace no. Common ones include:

• nada (nothing / anything)
• nadie (nobody / anyone)
• nunca / jams (never)
• tampoco (neither / not either)
• ninguno / ningn (none / not any)
• ni... ni... (neither... nor...)

Important point: Spanish often uses a double negative, which is grammatically correct. For example:

• No veo nada. (I don't see anything.) literal: 'I don't see nothing' in English would be incorrect, but in Spanish this is fine and expected.
• No conozco a nadie en la fiesta. (I don't know anyone at the party.)

Affirmative and negative commands (mandatos)

Commands are where students often get stuck, because affirmative and negative commands use different forms. Here's a simple breakdown.

• Affirmative t: use the third person singular of the present indicative: habla (speak), come (eat), vive (live). Example: Habla ms despacio.
• Negative t: use the present subjunctive: no hables, no comas, no vivas. Example: No hables ahora.
• Usted / Ustedes: both affirmative and negative use the present subjunctive: hable / no hable, hablen / no hablen.
• Nosotros (let's): hablemos / no hablemos.
• Vosotros (affirmative): typically: infinitive minus -r + -d hablad. Negative vosotros uses the subjunctive: no hablis.

Pronouns with commands

Placement of object pronouns changes depending on whether the command is affirmative or negative:

• Affirmative: attach the pronoun to the end: Dmelo (tell me it), Hazlo (do it).
• Negative: pronouns go before the verb: No me lo digas, No lo hagas.

Common irregular affirmative t forms

Watch out for these short, very common forms: ven, di, sal, haz, ten, ve, pon, s (come, say, leave, do/make, have, go, put, be). Their negative commands are regular subjunctive forms: no vengas, no digas, no salgas, etc.

Quick cheat sheet

• To make a sentence negative: put no before the verb. Example: No quiero.
• To say yes: answer with s or repeat the verb in a positive form: Vienes? S, vengo.
• Affirmative t commands = 3rd person present. Negative t commands = t subjunctive.
• Double negatives are normal in Spanish: No veo nada.
• Attach pronouns to affirmative commands, place them before negative commands.

Common mistakes and tips

• Don't try to avoid the double negative it's natural in Spanish.
• Learn the subjunctive forms for negative commands theyre used a lot.
• Practice pronoun placement with commands (its a very common source of errors).
• When in doubt, listen to native speakers: pay attention to how they negate things and form commands.

With a bit of practice these patterns become automatic. Start by forming simple affirmative and negative sentences, then practice commands and pronoun placement. You'll notice how consistent Spanish is once you get the hang of the basic rules.

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Additional Links

Need For Positive Affirmation For Children