When you want to give commands or orders in Spanish, you use the imperative mood. This mood is used to express a desire or want in a direct way. In Spanish, there are different conjugations for the imperative mood, depending on the subject pronoun.
Regular and Irregular Imperatives
The regular imperative forms are formed by dropping the final -o of the present tense yo form and adding the appropriate ending. For -ar verbs, you add -a for tú commands and -en for ustedes commands. For -er and -ir verbs, you add -e for tú commands and –an for ustedes commands.
Irregular imperative forms, on the other hand, do not follow this pattern. Some of the most common irregular verbs in the imperative mood are ser, ir, estar, and saber. These verbs have unique forms that you must memorize.
Affirmative and Negative Commands
Commands can be either affirmative or negative. Affirmative commands are used to tell someone to do something, while negative commands are used to tell someone not to do something.
To form affirmative commands, you use the present tense tú form of the verb. For example, hablar (to speak) becomes habla (speak) in the affirmative tú command.
To form negative commands, you use the present tense yo form of the verb, drop the -o, and add -es for -ar verbs and -as for -er and -ir verbs. For example, “no hables” (don’t speak) is the negative tú command of hablar.
Examples
Here are some examples of imperative commands in Spanish:
- ¡Habla más despacio! (Speak more slowly!)
- ¡No hables tan rápido! (Don’t speak so fast!)
- ¡Ven aquí! (Come here!)
- ¡No corras! (Don’t run!)
- ¡Deja de hablar! (Stop talking!)
Remember that the imperative mood is used for direct commands or requests. It is important to use the correct form of the verb for the subject pronoun and to use the appropriate tone and context for the situation.
Conjugation of Imperative Commands
When using the imperative mood in Spanish, it is important to know how to conjugate verbs correctly. In this section, we will cover the conjugation of imperative commands for AR, ER, and IR verbs, as well as the different forms for Tú, Usted, Ustedes, Nosotros, and Vosotros.
AR, ER, IR Verbs Conjugation
The conjugation of imperative commands for AR, ER, and IR verbs is slightly different. Let’s take a look at each one:
AR Verbs: To conjugate the affirmative imperative for AR verbs, you need to take the present tense “yo” form of the verb, drop the “o”, and add the following endings:
- Tú form: add “-a”
- Usted form: add “-e”
- Ustedes form: add “-en”
- Nosotros form: add “-emos”
- Vosotros form: add “-ad”
For example, the affirmative imperative command for the verb “hablar” would be:
- Tú: habla
- Usted: hable
- Ustedes: hablen
- Nosotros: hablemos
- Vosotros: hablad
To form the negative imperative, simply add “no” before the verb. For example:
- Tú: no hables
- Usted: no hable
- Ustedes: no hablen
- Nosotros: no hablemos
- Vosotros: no habléis
-
ER Verbs: The affirmative imperative for ER verbs is formed in the same way as AR verbs, except for the Tú form, which uses “-e” instead of “-a”. For example:
- Tú: come
- Usted: coma
- Ustedes: coman
- Nosotros: comamos
- Vosotros: comed
The negative imperative is formed by adding “no” before the verb, just like with AR verbs.
-
IR Verbs: The affirmative imperative for IR verbs is also formed in the same way as AR and ER verbs, except for the Tú form, which uses “-e” instead of “-a”. For example:
- Tú: vive
- Usted: viva
- Ustedes: vivan
- Nosotros: vivamos
- Vosotros: vivid
The negative imperative is formed by adding “no” before the verb, just like with AR and ER verbs.
Tú, Usted, Ustedes, Nosotros, Vosotros Forms
In addition to the different conjugations for AR, ER, and IR verbs, there are also different forms for Tú, Usted, Ustedes, Nosotros, and Vosotros. Let’s take a look at each one:
Tú Form: The Tú form is used when giving commands to someone you are familiar with, such as a friend or family member. It is formed by using the third person singular present tense of the verb. For example:
- Hablar: habla
- Comer: come
- Vivir: vive
Usted Form: The Usted form is used when giving commands to someone you are not familiar with, such as a stranger or someone in a position of authority. It is formed by using the third person singular present tense of the verb, but with the “-e” ending instead of the “-a” ending. For example:
- Hablar: hable
- Comer: coma
- Vivir: viva
Ustedes Form: The Ustedes form is used when giving commands to a group of people. It is formed by using the third person plural present tense of the verb, but with the “-en” ending instead of the “-an” ending. For example:
- Hablar: hablen
- Comer: coman
- Vivir: vivan
Nosotros Form: The Nosotros form is used when giving commands to a group that includes yourself. It is formed by using the first person plural present tense of the verb, but with the “-emos” ending instead of the “-amos” ending. For example:
- Hablar: hablemos
- Comer: comamos
- Vivir: vivamos
-
Vosotros Form: The Vosotros form is used when giving commands to a group of people you are familiar with, such as friends or family members. It is formed by using the second person plural present tense of the verb, but with the “-ad”, “-ed” and “-id” endings instead of the “-áis”
- Hablar: hablad
- Comer: comed
- Vivir: vivid
How to use Imperative Commands
The imperative mood is a direct way of communicating with someone and conveying a sense of urgency or importance. In this section, you will learn the different ways in which imperative commands are used in Spanish.
Giving Orders and Requests
One of the most common uses of the imperative mood is to give orders and requests. This is done by using the imperative form of the verb, which changes depending on the subject of the sentence.
For example, if you want to tell someone to close the door, you would say “Cierra la puerta” (Close the door) if you’re talking to one person, or “Cierren la puerta” (Close the door) if you’re talking to a group of people.
When giving orders or requests, it is important to use the appropriate tone and level of formality. If you are speaking to someone you know well, you can use the informal “tú” form of the verb. However, if you are speaking to someone you don’t know well or someone who is in a position of authority, it is better to use the more formal “usted” form.
Providing Suggestions and Advice
In addition to giving orders and requests, the imperative mood can also be used to provide suggestions and advice. This is done by using the imperative form of the verb, but with a different tone and level of formality. For example, if you want to suggest that someone try a certain dish at a restaurant, you could say “Prueba el plato del día” (Try the dish of the day).
When providing suggestions or advice, it is important to use a polite and respectful tone. You should also be careful not to come across as pushy or demanding. It is best to phrase your suggestions as options rather than commands, so that the other person feels like they have a choice.
Imperative Commands with Pronouns
When giving imperative commands in Spanish, it is important to know how to use pronouns correctly. Pronouns are used to replace nouns in a sentence, and they can be direct object pronouns, indirect object pronouns, or reflexive pronouns. We will discuss how to use these pronouns with imperative commands.
Direct and Indirect Object Pronouns
Direct object pronouns are used to replace the direct object of a sentence, which is the noun that receives the action of the verb. Indirect object pronouns are used to replace the indirect object of a sentence, which is the noun that receives the direct object. When giving an imperative command with a direct or indirect object pronoun, the pronoun is attached to the end of the verb.
For example, instead of saying “Give me the book,” you would say “Dame el libro” with “me” attached to the end of “dame.” Similarly, instead of saying “Tell her the truth,” you would say “Dile la verdad” with “le” attached to the end of “dile.”
Here is a table with the direct and indirect object pronouns in Spanish:
| Direct Object Pronouns | Indirect Object Pronouns |
|---|---|
| me (me) | me (to/for me) |
| te (you) | te (to/for you) |
| lo/la (him/her/it) | le (to/for him/her) |
| nos (us) | nos (to/for us) |
| os (you all) | os (to/for you all) |
| los/las (them) | les (to/for them) |
Commands with Reflexive Pronouns
Reflexive pronouns are used when the subject of the sentence is also the object of the verb. In other words, the subject is doing the action to themselves. When giving an imperative command with a reflexive pronoun, the pronoun is attached to the end of the verb.
For example, instead of saying “Wash yourself,” you would say “Lávate” with “te” attached to the end of “lava.”
Here is a table with the reflexive pronouns in Spanish:
| Reflexive Pronouns |
|---|
| me (myself) |
| te (yourself) |
| se (himself/herself/itself/yourself (formal)) |
| nos (ourselves) |
| os (yourselves) |
| se (themselves/yourselves (formal)) |
Imperative Commands in Different Moods and Tenses
When it comes to giving commands in Spanish, the imperative mood is the most common. However, there are other moods and tenses that can be used to give commands in different situations.
Present Subjunctive and Imperative
The present subjunctive is a mood used to express doubt, uncertainty, or subjectivity. It can also be used to give commands in a more polite or indirect way. When using the present subjunctive to give commands, the verb is conjugated in the present subjunctive form for the corresponding subject pronoun.
For example, if you want to tell someone to study more, you could use the present subjunctive form of the verb “estudiar” for the “tú” pronoun: “Me gustaría que estudies más” (I’d like that you study more). This is a more polite way of giving a command than using the imperative mood.
However, when you want to give a direct command, the imperative mood is the way to go. The imperative mood is used to give commands, orders, and requests in a direct and forceful way. The conjugation of the verb in the imperative mood is different depending on the subject pronoun.
Conditional Tense and Imperative
The conditional tense is used to express hypothetical situations or actions that may or may not happen. It can also be used to give commands in a more polite or indirect way. When using the conditional tense to give commands, the verb is conjugated in the conditional tense form for the corresponding subject pronoun.
For example, if you want to tell someone to be more responsible, you could use the conditional tense form of the verb “ser” for the “tú” pronoun: “Serías más responsable” (You would be more responsible). This is a more polite way of giving a command than using the imperative mood.
However, when you want to give a direct command, the imperative mood is the way to go. The imperative mood is used to give commands, orders, and requests in a direct and forceful way. The conjugation of the verb in the imperative mood is different depending on the subject pronoun.
