In this Spanish lesson we will practice using negative Spanish imperatives. As usual, first we will review some relevant grammar and vocabulary and then see if you can follow a short listening.

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Here are the grammar rules of how to create negative Spanish imperatives:

-AR: (mirar: to look):
(Tú) no mires: Don’t look (friendly)
(Usted) no mire: Don’t look (formal)
(Vosotros/as) no miréis: Don’t look (group/friendly)
(Ustedes) no miren: Don’t look (group/formal)

-ER: (comer: to eat):
(Tú) no comas: Don’t eat (friendly)
(Usted) no coma: Don’t eat (formal)
(Vosotros/as) no comáis: Don’t eat (group/friendly)
(Ustedes) no coman: Don’t eat (group/formal)

-IR: (escribir: to write):
(Tú) no escribas: Don’t write (friendly)
(Usted) no escriba: Don’t write (formal)
(Vosotros/as) no escribáis: Don’t write (group/friendly)
(Ustedes) no escriban: Don’t write (group/formal)

Let’s test your listening comprehension and see if you can understand a short audio in Spanish. The transcript to the audio will be given at the end of the post but please try not to look at it until you have tried playing and understanding the audio a few times.

Please familiarise yourself with the following words and phrases before listening to the audio below:

Exagerado/a: someone who exagerates
En serio: seriously
Pillar: to catch (coloquial)
Sugerir: to suggest

Now play the audio to listen a conversation between two friends. Can you understand what they are saying? Play the audio a few times before you look at the transcript. Don’t worry if you don’t understand every single thing the two people are saying. Try to catch whichever words you can and then try to piece things together to work out what is being said.

(Play the audio a few times before you scroll down and look at the transcript)

Transcript:

Rebeca: ¡Hola Mark! ¿Qué planes tienes para esta noche?
Mark: Voy a ir a tomar algo al bar Mediterráneo
Rebeca: Oh no, no vayas a ese bar. Es horrible.
Mark: Pues he quedado allí con unos amigos. Así que iré.
Rebeca: Pues no bebas nada. Porque todas las bebidas están malísimas.
Mark: ¿Todas? No seas exagerada Rebeca. Eso es imposible.
Rebeca: En serio.
Mark: Bueno vale, beberé agua y comeré unas tapas.
Rebeca: ¿Qué dices? No comas nada allí por favor. La única vez que fui pillé la salmonella.
Mark: Jo, pues beberé agua solo.
Rebeca: El agua también es mala Mark.
Mark: Bueno, pues ¿dónde sugieres que vayamos?
Rebeca: Id al bar Pepe. Es ideal. Tiene unos cócteles fantásticos y sus tapas están buenísimas. Si vais a comer algo no vayais muy tarde. La cocina cierra pronto.
Mark: Vale suena bien. Voy a llamar a mis amigos.

So, how did you get on? How much did you understand of the listening? Please let me know in the comments section below…

Don’t worry if you didn’t understand that much, keep reviewing the vocabulary and phrases and you will soon be up to speed and ready for the next lesson in this course. See you next time!