A2 Negation 1 min read Facile

Forming Negative Commands: Don't Do It!

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Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds

To tell someone 'Don't' in Armenian, place 'mi' before the verb and change the ending to -ir or -a.

  • Use the particle 'mi' (մի) before the verb to indicate 'don't'.
  • For -el verbs, the singular ending is -ir: 'mi khosir' (don't speak).
  • For -al verbs, the singular ending is -a: 'mi karda' (don't read).
🛑 + մի + [Verb Stem] + ի՛ր / ա՛

2. Negative Imperative Formation

Verb Type Infinitive Singular Command Plural Command
-EL Verbs
Խոսել (Speak)
Մի՛ խոսիր
Մի՛ խոսեք
-EL Verbs
Գրել (Write)
Մի՛ գրիր
Մի՛ գրեք
-AL Verbs
Կարդալ (Read)
Մի՛ կարդա
Մի՛ կարդաք
-AL Verbs
Լողալ (Swim)
Մի՛ լողա
Մի՛ լողաք

Meanings

The primary way to issue a direct order or request to someone NOT to perform an action.

1

Direct Prohibition

A clear command to stop or not start an action.

“Մի՛ խոսիր: (Don't speak.)”

“Մի՛ կեր: (Don't eat.)”

2

Soft Advice/Warning

Using the negative command to give friendly advice or a gentle warning.

“Մի՛ մտահոգվիր: (Don't worry.)”

“Մի՛ մոռացիր անձրևանոցը: (Don't forget the umbrella.)”

Reference Table

Reference table for Forming Negative Commands: Don't Do It!
Form Structure Example
Singular (-el)
մի + stem + իր
Մի՛ խմիր (Don't drink)
Singular (-al)
մի + stem + ա
Մի՛ խաղա (Don't play)
Plural (-el)
մի + stem + եք
Մի՛ վազեք (Don't run)
Plural (-al)
մի + stem + աք
Մի՛ մնաք (Don't stay)
Irregular (Gal)
մի + արի
Մի՛ արի (Don't come)
Irregular (Anel)
մի + արա
Մի՛ արա (Don't do)
Irregular (Tvel)
մի + տուր
Մի՛ տուր (Don't give)

Spectre de formalité

Formel
Մի՛ խոսեք

Մի՛ խոսեք (Communication)

Neutre
Մի՛ խոսիր

Մի՛ խոսիր (Communication)

Informel
Մի՛ խոսա (dialectal/casual)

Մի՛ խոսա (dialectal/casual) (Communication)

Argot
Ձենդ կտրի՛ (Shut up - very rude)

Ձենդ կտրի՛ (Shut up - very rude) (Communication)

The World of 'Mi'

Մի՛ (Don't)

Actions

  • Մի՛ գնա Don't go
  • Մի՛ կեր Don't eat

Feelings

  • Մի՛ վախեցիր Don't fear
  • Մի՛ տխրիր Don't be sad

Ch vs Mi

Statement (Չ)
Չեմ գնում I am not going
Command (Մի)
Մի՛ գնա Don't go!

Choosing the Ending

1

Does the verb end in -EL?

YES
Add -իր
NO
Go to -AL
2

Does the verb end in -AL?

YES
Add -ա
NO
Check Irregulars

Common Prohibitions

⚠️

Safety

  • • Մի՛ դիպչիր
  • • Մի՛ վազիր
  • • Մի՛ մտիր

Exemples par niveau

1

Մի՛ գնա:

Don't go.

2

Մի՛ կեր:

Don't eat.

1

Մի՛ խոսիր բարձր:

Don't speak loudly.

2

Մի՛ մոռացեք բանալիները:

Don't forget the keys (plural/formal).

1

Մի՛ հավատա նրան, նա ստում է:

Don't believe him, he is lying.

2

Մի՛ վախեցեք դժվարություններից:

Don't be afraid of difficulties.

1

Մի՛ արա այն, ինչից հետո կփոշմանես:

Don't do that which you will later regret.

2

Մի՛ ընդհատեք ինձ, երբ ես խոսում եմ:

Don't interrupt me when I am speaking.

1

Մի՛ փորձիր համոզել ինձ հակառակում:

Don't try to convince me of the opposite.

2

Մի՛ անտեսիր քո ներքին ձայնը:

Don't ignore your inner voice.

1

Մի՛ վարկաբեկիր քո բարի համբավը նման արարքով:

Do not discredit your good reputation with such an act.

2

Մի՛ ստորադասիր հանրային շահը անձնականին:

Do not subordinate the public interest to the personal.

Facile à confondre

Forming Negative Commands: Don't Do It! vs Negative Indicative

Learners use 'չեմ' (I am not) instead of 'մի' (don't).

Forming Negative Commands: Don't Do It! vs Prohibitive Infinitive

Signs use 'Չծխել' but people say 'Մի՛ ծխիր'.

Forming Negative Commands: Don't Do It! vs Future Negation

The future negative 'չես գնա' (you won't go) sounds like a command.

Erreurs courantes

✗

Չգնա

✓

Մի՛ գնա

Using 'ch' instead of 'mi' for a command.
✗

Մի գնալ

✓

Մի՛ գնա

Using the infinitive instead of the conjugated command form.
✗

Մի խոսել

✓

Մի՛ խոսիր

Using the infinitive for a direct personal command.
✗

Մի՛ խոսա

✓

Մի՛ խոսիր

Using the -a ending for an -el verb.
✗

Մի՛ կարդիր

✓

Մի՛ կարդա

Using the -ir ending for an -al verb.
✗

Մի՛ գրեք (to one person)

✓

Մի՛ գրիր

Using the plural form for a close friend (unless being formal).
✗

Մի՛ գալ

✓

Մի՛ արի

Failing to use the irregular form for 'to come'.
✗

Մի՛ անիր

✓

Մի՛ արա

Failing to use the irregular form for 'to do'.
✗

Մի՛ տվիր

✓

Մի՛ տուր

Failing to use the irregular form for 'to give'.
✗

Մի՛ վախենար

✓

Մի՛ վախեցիր

Using an incorrect stem for a deponent verb.
✗

Մի՛ հագնիր

✓

Մի՛ հագիր

Incorrectly retaining the 'n' suffix in the imperative.
✗

Մի՛ թողիր

✓

Մի՛ թող

Using the regular ending for the irregular 'to let/leave'.

Structures de phrases

Մի՛ ___, որովհետև ___:

Խնդրում եմ, մի՛ ___:

Երբեք մի՛ ___:

Real World Usage

Texting a friend very common

Մի՛ մոռացիր գիրքը: (Don't forget the book.)

Public Safety Signs common

Մի՛ հպվեք: (Don't touch.)

Parenting constant

Մի՛ վազիր, կընկնես: (Don't run, you'll fall.)

Social Media Comments occasional

Մի՛ հավատացեք այս լուրերին: (Don't believe this news.)

💡

The 'Mi' Rule

If you are ever in doubt, just remember that 'Mi' is for commands. If you use 'Ch', people will think you are just describing a situation.
⚠️

Respect the Elders

Always use the plural '-eq' or '-aq' ending with people you don't know well. Using the singular can sound very rude.
🎯

The Shesht

When writing, always put the emphasis mark (՛) on the 'i' of 'mi՛'. It's the hallmark of a high-quality Armenian writer.

Smart Tips

Use the verb 'mtahogvel'. The command is 'Mi՛ mtahogvir'. It's a great phrase to show empathy.

Chmtahogvel → Մի՛ մտահոգվիր

Remember that the singular negative command is just the stem + 'a'. It's often the shortest form of the verb.

Mi՛ kardir → Մի՛ կարդա

Always default to the plural '-eq' or '-aq' ending, even for one person. It's the 'V.I.P.' treatment.

Մի՛ մոռացիր (to a boss) → Մի՛ մոռացեք (to a boss)

Prononciation

mi՛ [mee]

The Shesht (Emphasis)

The emphasis mark (՛) is placed on the vowel of the particle 'mi'. This makes the 'i' sound slightly sharper and higher in pitch.

Commanding Fall

Մի՛ գնա! ↓

A sharp drop in pitch after 'mi' indicates a strong command.

Mémorise-le

Moyen mnémotechnique

Remember: 'Me? No, Mi!' When you want to stop someone, use 'Mi'.

Association visuelle

Imagine a giant red 'Stop' sign with the Armenian letters 'ՄԻ' written in white in the center. Every time you want to say 'Don't', see that sign.

Rhyme

For -el verbs, use -ir, To make the 'don't' quite clear!

Story

A little boy named Mi always tells his friends what not to do. 'Mi gna!' he shouts when they walk toward the mud. 'Mi karda!' he says when they try to read his secret diary.

Word Web

Մի՛Մի՛ խոսիրՄի՛ գնաՄի՛ արաՄի՛ տուրՄի՛ մոռացիր

Défi

Look around your room and name three things you shouldn't do right now using 'Mi' (e.g., Don't sleep, Don't jump).

Notes culturelles

Using the plural 'Մի՛ ...-եք' is essential when speaking to anyone older than you, even by a few years, to show respect.

In Armenia, official signs often use the negative infinitive 'Չ' + verb + 'ել' instead of 'Մի'.

The particle 'mi' comes from the Proto-Indo-European prohibitive particle *mē.

Amorces de conversation

“

Ի՞նչ խորհուրդ կտաս ընկերոջդ, ով վախենում է քննությունից:

“

Տանը ի՞նչ չի կարելի անել:

“

Ի՞նչ չպետք է անի զբոսաշրջիկը Հայաստանում:

Sujets d'écriture

Write 5 rules for a new student in your Armenian class using negative commands.
Imagine you are a doctor. Give a patient 5 things they should NOT do to stay healthy.
Write a letter to your younger self giving advice on what mistakes to avoid.

Erreurs courantes

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

Test Yourself

Choose the correct negative command for 'Don't speak' (singular). Choix multiple

___ խոսիր:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Մի՛
We use 'mi' for negative commands.
Complete the sentence: 'Don't read' (singular).

Մի՛ ___ (կարդալ):

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: կարդա
-al verbs take the -a ending in the singular negative imperative.
Correct the mistake in this sentence: 'Մի՛ գրիրեք': Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

Մի՛ գրիրեք

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Մի՛ գրեք
The plural form for -el verbs is stem + eq.
Translate 'Don't be late' (formal/plural). Traduction

Don't be late.

Answer starts with: Մի՛...

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Մի՛ ուշացեք
The plural/formal form of 'ushanal' is 'mi ushatseq'.

Score: /4

Exercices pratiques

4 exercises
Choose the correct negative command for 'Don't speak' (singular). Choix multiple

___ խոսիր:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Մի՛
We use 'mi' for negative commands.
Complete the sentence: 'Don't read' (singular).

Մի՛ ___ (կարդալ):

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: կարդա
-al verbs take the -a ending in the singular negative imperative.
Correct the mistake in this sentence: 'Մի՛ գրիրեք': Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

Մի՛ գրիրեք

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Մի՛ գրեք
The plural form for -el verbs is stem + eq.
Translate 'Don't be late' (formal/plural). Traduction

Don't be late.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Մի՛ ուշացեք
The plural/formal form of 'ushanal' is 'mi ushatseq'.

Score: /4

FAQ (6)

Generally, no. In spoken Armenian, you must conjugate the verb. However, on some very informal signs, you might see it, but it's grammatically incorrect.

It depends on the infinitive. `-el` verbs take `-ir` (e.g., `խոսել` -> `մի՛ խոսիր`), and `-al` verbs take `-a` (e.g., `կարդալ` -> `մի՛ կարդա`).

Yes, 'mi' is universal in both Eastern and Western Armenian for negative commands, though some endings might vary slightly in local dialects.

'Մի՛ գնա' is a direct command. 'Չգնա՛ս' is more like 'You'd better not go' or 'I hope you don't go', which is slightly softer or more advisory.

The verb 'to do' is `անել`. The negative command is irregular: `Մի՛ արա`.

In formal writing, yes. In casual texting, many people skip it, but it's better to use it to be clear.

Scaffolded Practice

1

1

2

2

3

3

4

4

Mastery Progress

Needs Practice

Improving

Strong

Mastered

In Other Languages

Spanish high

No + Subjunctive

Armenian uses a unique particle 'mi', while Spanish uses the standard 'no'.

French moderate

Ne... pas + Imperative

Armenian changes the verb ending in the negative, French does not.

German low

Imperative + nicht

Armenian places the negation before the verb and changes the ending.

Japanese partial

Verb + na

Armenian negates at the beginning with 'mi'.

Arabic high

La + Jussive

The structural logic is very similar to Armenian's 'Mi' + Subjunctive.

Learning Path

Prerequisites

Previous
Forming Positive Commands: Do It!
Next
Polite Requests: Please Do

Related Grammar Rules

A0

Negating 'To Be': It Is Not...
A1

Negating Verbs: The Particle չ-
A1

Negating Nouns and Adjectives: ոչ
A1

Negative Commands: Don't do it!
A1

Expressing 'No one' and 'Nothing'
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