no te muevas
/no te mwebas/from spelling rules
In Spanish, "do not move" is translated as no te muevas.
This phrase is an order telling someone to stay in their current position and not change it. You may also use the abrupt single word ¡Quieto! to command someone or an animal to stay still.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase no te muevas is built from no (not), te (yourself) and muevas (move), literally meaning "do not move yourself".
Which one should you use?
No te muevas de ahí is used specifically to instruct someone not to move from a certain place. For a more abrupt command to stay still, use ¡Quieto!
How does it change in a sentence?
The form no te muevas uses the informal tú conjugation. When speaking to a stranger, an elder or someone in a position of authority, use no se mueva instead of no te muevas. If you are giving the order to more than one person, use no se muevan.
Did you know?
- The word quieto comes from the same Latin root as the English word 'quiet', though in Spanish it describes physical stillness rather than a lack of noise.
- In some contexts, no te muevas can be used affectionately, such as when a parent is kissing a child or fixing a child's hair, rather than as a strict order.
- If you use the command ¡Quieto! to a person, it can sound incredibly blunt or even condescending, as if you are treating them like a pet or a soldier.
Examples in context
- Permanezca quieto mientras realizamos el procedimiento médico.Stay still while we perform the medical procedure.
- No te muevas, estoy tomando una foto.Don't move, I'm taking a picture.
- No te muevas de ahí hasta que vuelva.Don't move from there until I come back.
- ¡No te muevas!Don't move!
- Por favor, no te muevas para la foto.Please, do not move for the photo.
- No te muevas, te voy a limpiar la cara.Don't move, I am going to clean your face.
Example conversation
Elena is trying to take a picture of Daniel, but he is fidgeting.
- ElenaDaniel, no te muevas un segundo.Daniel, don't move for a second.
- DanielEs que me pica la nariz.It's just that my nose is itching.
- Elena¡No te muevas, ya casi terminamos!Don't move, we are almost done!
- DanielVale, me quedo quieto.Okay, I'll stay still.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
