no toques
/no tokes/from spelling rules
The phrase 'keep your hands to yourself' in Spanish is translated as no toques.
This phrase is used as a command to tell someone not to touch other people or things. You can use it generally as no toques to mean 'do not touch', or more specifically, No toques a nadie to mean 'Don't touch anyone'.
What does it mean word for word?
Literally, no toques means 'do not touch'.
How do you pronounce it?
/no tokes/
Did you know?
- Depending on the region, a speaker might use the reflexive form no te toques to tell someone not to touch themselves, which completely changes the meaning from the general command no toques.
- The verb tocar used in this phrase is the same verb a Spanish speaker would use to say they are playing a musical instrument.
- While no toques is a direct command, you can use no metas las manos to tell someone to stop meddling in affairs that do not concern them.
Examples in context
- ¡Oye! No me toques cuando estoy ocupadoHey! Don't touch me when I'm busy
- No toques a tu hermano.Don't touch your brother.
- No toques las obras de arte.Don't touch the artworks.
- ¡No toques mi teléfono!Don't touch my phone!
Example conversation
Alejandro is teaching his young daughter, Lucía, how to behave in a museum.
- AlejandroLucía, no toques las esculturas.Lucía, don't touch the sculptures.
- LucíaSolo quería ver cómo eran.I only wanted to see what they were like.
- AlejandroEntiendo, pero no toques nada.I understand, but don't touch anything.
- LucíaEstá bien, papá.Okay, dad.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
