por favor, no lo hagas
In Spanish, 'please don't' is expressed as por favor, no lo hagas.
This phrase is a polite request for someone to refrain from or stop a specific action. While English speakers often use the elliptical 'please don't', the Spanish version specifically includes the object 'it' (lo) to indicate what is being avoided.
What does it mean word for word?
Literally, por favor, no lo hagas translates to 'please, not it do (subjunctive)', where lo represents the object 'it' being acted upon.
Which one should you use?
The phrase por favor, no lo hagas includes the direct object 'it' (lo), whereas the English 'please don't' often lacks a direct object.
How does it change in a sentence?
The default no lo hagas uses the informal 'tú' imperative, which is used with friends, family or peers.
Did you know?
- The word favor shares a root with the Latin 'faveō', which originally meant to be propitious or to smile upon someone.
- If you want to sound even more polite than using por favor, you can use si no es mucha molestia to mean 'if it is not too much trouble'.
- In some Spanish-speaking cultures, a sharp head shake or a specific hand gesture can accompany no lo hagas to add an urgency that the words alone do not convey.
Examples in context
- Maria, por favor, no lo haga.Maria, please don't do it.
- Señor, le ruego que no lo haga.Sir, I beg you not to do it.
- Caballero, ¿sería tan amable de no hacerlo?Sir, would you be so kind as to not do it?
- Carlos, por favor, no lo hagas.Carlos, please don't do it.
- Mamá, no lo hagas, por favor.Mom, please don't do it.
- Por favor, no lo hagas ahora.Please don't do it now.
- Es peligroso, por favor, no lo hagas.It is dangerous, please don't do it.
- Si te lo pido, por favor, no lo hagas.If I ask you, please don't do it.
Example conversation
Mateo is about to jump into a pool with his clothes on.
- Lucía¡Mateo, por favor, no lo hagas!Mateo, please don't do it!
- Mateo¿Por qué no?Why not?
- LucíaTe vas a mojar toda la ropa.You are going to get all your clothes wet.
- MateoEstá bien, no lo haré.Okay, I won't do it.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries favor, lo, no, por, CC BY-SA 4.0.
