Spanish Phrase
No andes solo por la noche.
Meaning
This sentence is a warning or piece of advice: 'Don’t walk alone at night.' It uses a negative command to stress safety, implying that the speaker cares about the listener’s well‑being.
When to use
Use this phrase when you want to caution a friend, family member, or colleague about the risks of being out alone after dark, especially in unfamiliar neighborhoods or cities.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Noandessoloporlanoche
Negative command with subjunctive
In Spanish, negative commands for 'tú' use the present subjunctive form of the verb, e.g., 'no andes' from 'andar'.
Adverb placement
'solo' (alone) usually follows the verb it modifies, but can also appear before for emphasis.
Preposition 'por' for time
'por' is used to indicate a general time period, here 'por la noche' means 'at night'.
🗨In Conversation
¿Vas a volver a casa caminando?
Are you going to walk home?
No, no andes solo por la noche.
No, don’t walk alone at night.
✕Common Mistakes
No anda solo por la noche.
Positive commands use the imperative (anda), but negative commands require the subjunctive (andes).
No andes solo en la noche.
While 'en la noche' is understandable, the idiomatic expression for a general time period is 'por la noche'.
No andes por la noche.
Do not omit 'solo' if you want to stress being alone; 'No andes por la noche' changes the meaning to 'Don’t go out at night' rather than specifically about being alone.
↔Alternatives
No camines solo por la noche.
Don’t walk alone at night.
No vayas solo por la noche.
Don’t go alone at night.
Evita andar solo por la noche.
Avoid walking alone at night.
Cultural Tip
In many Spanish‑speaking countries, especially in large cities, it’s common for locals to warn each other about nighttime safety. The phrase is informal but firm; using a more formal tone (e.g., 'Por favor, no salga solo por la noche') would be appropriate in professional settings.