Commands addressed to ustedes use the present subjunctive form for both positive and negative instructions.

The idea

For these regular verbs, hablar becomes hablen, comer becomes coman and abrir becomes abran; put no before a negative command.

Examples

  • Hablen más despacio, por favor.Speak more slowly, please.
  • Esperen junto a la puerta.Wait beside the door.
  • Coman antes de salir.Eat before leaving.
  • Escriban sus nombres aquí.Write your names here.
  • No abran la ventana.Do not open the window.
  • No caminen por la hierba.Do not walk on the grass.

Read-aloud uses a synthetic Spanish voice available on your device. Voice quality and availability vary; it does not assess your pronunciation.

Watch out

Ustedes is used for polite groups in much of Spain and for both familiar and polite groups in many other regions.

Try it yourself

  1. Choose the ustedes command from hablar. ___ más despacio. (Hablen / Hablan)

    Show answer or example answer

    Hablen

    Hablen is the ustedes command from hablar.

  2. Choose the ustedes command from comer. ___ antes de salir. (Coman / Comen)

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    Coman

    Coman is the ustedes command from comer.

  3. Choose the negative ustedes command from abrir. No ___ la ventana. (abran / abren)

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    abran

    No abran is the negative ustedes command from abrir.

Use it today

Give a group three instructions using hablen, coman and no abran, adapting them to a real situation.