не + Imperative

Negative Imperative

Level 2Sounds Like ne + zagadny lad

Не спазняйся! (Don't be late!) Не хвалюйцеся. (Don't worry.) Не goes right before the command.

How It Works

To forbid something, put не before the imperative. For more than one person or polite вы, use the -це form: Не хвалюйся becomes Не хвалюйцеся.

Switch to the imperfective. A positive request for one result is often perfective, but when you forbid it, switch to the imperfective partner:

  • Адчыні акно. (Open the window.) → Не адчыняй акно. (Don't open the window.)
  • Зачыні дзверы. (Close the door.) → Не зачыняй дзверы. (Don't close the door.)
  • Скажы маме. (Tell Mom.) → Не кажы маме. (Don't tell Mom.)
  • Купі хлеб. (Buy bread.) → Не купляй хлеб. (Don't buy bread.)

Warnings use the perfective. When you are not forbidding a choice but warning about an accident, the perfective is correct: Не забудзь! (Don't forget!), Не ўпадзі! (Don't fall!), Не спазніся! (Mind you're not late!). More on this contrast in aspect in commands.

Spelling. Не ends in a vowel, so a following у is written ў: Не ўставай. (Don't get up.) See у becoming ў after a vowel.

Reflexive verbs keep -ся: Не хвалюйся! (Don't worry!), Не спазняйцеся! (Don't be late!)

Examples (6)

  1. Не спазняйся!

    Don't be late!

    Word by Word: Not be-late!

  2. Не хвалюйцеся.

    Don't worry.

    Word by Word: Not worry.

    The -це form, for a group or for polite вы.

  3. Не адчыняй акно, холадна.

    Don't open the window, it's cold.

    Word by Word: Not open window, cold.

  4. Не кажы маме.

    Don't tell Mom.

    Word by Word: Not tell to-mom.

  5. Не забудзь ключы!

    Don't forget your keys!

    Word by Word: Not forget keys!

    A perfective verb after не warns against an accident.

  6. Не ўставайце, калі ласка.

    Please don't get up.

    Word by Word: Not get-up, please.

    У becomes ў after не.

Common Mistakes

  • Using a perfective verb to forbid an action.

    Не адчыні акно.
    Не адчыняй акно.

    To forbid something, use the imperfective partner. Адчыні is fine for open it, but don't open it is не адчыняй.

  • Leaving out -ся in don't worry.

    Не хвалюй, усё будзе добра.
    Не хвалюйся, усё будзе добра.

    Хваляваць means to worry or upset someone else and needs an object. For don't worry, use the reflexive хвалявацца: не хвалюйся.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

не + ImperativeLevel 2Negative Imperative

Learn This First

The negative imperative needs the imperative, the imperfective and не.

Words in This Pattern

не