To give instructions, commands and orders in Spanish you will have to learn how to conjugate the verbs, and use the two moods in Spanish: the indicative and the subjunctive. In this article, I will teach you how to give commands with regular verbs.
Regular verbs have the same endings in the imperative mood, regardless of their infinitive form. Here’s a table with the endings for -ar, -er, and -ir verbs:
| Verb Ending | Affirmative Command | Negative Command |
|---|---|---|
| -ar | -a | -es |
| -er | -e | -as |
| -ir | -e | -as |
Commands for Tú vs. Usted
When giving commands in Spanish, you need to decide whether to use the informal “tú” or the formal “usted” form. The affirmative command for “tú” is formed by dropping the final “s” from the present tense form. For example, “hablas” becomes “habla.” The negative command for “tú” is formed by adding “no” before the affirmative command. For example, “no hables.“
On the other hand, the affirmative command for “usted” is formed by using the present subjunctive form. For example, “hable.” The negative command for “usted” is formed by using the present subjunctive form with “no” before it. For example, “no hable.”
Commands with Nosotros
The “nosotros” command is used to give commands to a group of people, including yourself. The affirmative command for “nosotros” is formed by using the present subjunctive form. For example, “hablemos.”
| Infinitive | Imperative – TÚ | Imperative – USTED | Imperative – NOSOTROS |
|---|---|---|---|
| hablar (to speak) | habla | hable | hablemos |
| escuchar (to listen) | escucha | escuche | escuchemos |
| firmar (to sign) | firma | firme | firmemos |
| enviar (to send) | envía | envíe | enviemos |
| comer (to eat) | come | coma | comamos |
| leer (to read) | lee | lea | leamos |
| escribir (to write) | escribe | escriba | escribamos |
| pedir (to ask for something) | pide | pida | pidamos |
The negative command for “tú” is conjugated different from the affirmative command. For example, if you want to say “don´t speak” in Spanish you have to say “no hables“. This is the conjugation of the verb “hablar” for the 2nd person singular in the Present Subjunctive form (tú – hables).
For “nosotros” and “usted” is formed by using the present subjunctive form with “no” before it. For example, “no hablemos“, “no hable“.
| Infinitive | Imperative – TÚ | Imperative – USTED | Imperative – NOSOTROS |
|---|---|---|---|
| hablar (to speak) | no hables | no hable | no hablemos |
| escuchar (to listen) | no escuches | no escuche | no escuchemos |
| firmar (to sign) | no firmes | no firme | no firmemos |
| enviar (to send) | no envíes | no envíe | no enviemos |
| comer (to eat) | no comas | no coma | no comamos |
| leer (to read) | no leas | no lea | no leamos |
| escribir (to write) | no escribas | no escriba | no escribamos |
| pedir (to ask for something) | no pidas | no pida | no pidamos |
Vosotros and Ustedes Commands in Spanish
In Spain, the informal plural “vosotros” form is used instead of “ustedes.” The affirmative command for “vosotros” is formed by dropping the final “r” from the infinitive form and adding an accent to the last syllable. For example, “hablar” becomes “hablad.”
| Infinitive | Imperative – USTEDES | Imperative – VOSOTROS |
|---|---|---|
| hablar (to speak) | hablen | hablad |
| escuchar (to listen) | escuchen | escuchad |
| firmar (to sign) | firmen | firmad |
| enviar (to send) | envíen | envíad |
| comer (to eat) | coman | comed |
| leer (to read) | lean | leed |
| escribir (to write) | escriban | escribid |
| pedir (to ask for something) | pidan | pedid |
The negative command for “ustedes” is formed by adding “no” before the verb. On the other hand, the negative command for “vosotros” is formed by adding “no” before the verb conjugated in the present subjunctive form. For example, “no habléis.“
| Infinitive | Imperative – USTEDES | Imperative – VOSOTROS |
|---|---|---|
| hablar (to speak) | no hablen | no habléis |
| escuchar (to listen) | no escuchen | no escuchéis |
| firmar (to sign) | no firmen | no firméis |
| enviar (to send) | no envíen | no envíéis |
| comer (to eat) | no coman | no comáis |
| leer (to read) | no lean | no leáis |
| escribir (to write) | no escriban | no escribáis |
| pedir (to ask for something) | no pidan | no pidáis |
Spanish Imperative with Irregular Verbs
When it comes to using the imperative with irregular verbs in Spanish, things can get a bit tricky. However, with a little practice, you’ll be able to master it in no time. In this section, we’ll go over some common irregular commands in Spanish.
Common Irregular Commands
Below is a table of some common irregular verbs in Spanish and their corresponding imperative forms:
| Infinitive | Imperative – TÚ | Imperative – USTED | Imperative – NOSOTROS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hacer (to do/make) | Haz | Haga | Hagamos |
| Ir (to go) | Ve | Vaya | Vayamos |
| Poner (to put) | Pon | Ponga | Pongamos |
| Salir (to leave) | Sal | Salga | Salgamos |
| Tener (to have) | Ten | Tenga | Tengamos |
| Venir (to come) | Ven | Venga | Vengamos |
As you can see, the imperative forms of these irregular verbs are not simply the same as their infinitive forms. It’s important to memorize these forms so that you can use them correctly in conversation.
Here are some sentence examples using the imperative with irregular verbs:
- Haz la tarea. (Do the homework.)
- Ve al supermercado. (Go to the supermarket.)
- Pon la mesa. (Set the table.)
- Sal de aquí. (Leave from here.)
- Sé amable. (Be kind.)
- Ten cuidado. (Be careful.)
- Ven conmigo. (Come with me.)
To give commands for “ustedes” the verb is conjugated in the 3rd person, ellos / ellas, of the present subjuntive. For example “ellos – hagan“.
| Infinitive | Imperative – USTEDES | Imperative – VOSOTROS |
|---|---|---|
| Hacer (to do/make) | Hagan | Haced |
| Ir (to go) | Vayan | Id |
| Poner (to put) | Pongan | Poned |
| Salir (to leave) | Salgan | Salid |
| Tener (to have) | Tengan | Tened |
| Venir (to come) | Vengan | Venid |
Examples of Affirmative Commands in Spanish
- Habla más despacio. (Speak more slowly.)
- Come la cena. (Eat dinner.)
- Vive la vida. (Live life.)
- Estudia para el examen de mañana. (You, study for tomorrow’s exam)
- Por favor, firme el documento en la línea señalada. (You formal, please sign the document on the designated line.)
- Organicemos una reunión para discutir el proyecto. (We, let’s organize a meeting to discuss the project.)
- Preparen sus maletas para el viaje. (You all, pack your bags for the trip.)
- Venid a la fiesta el próximo sábado. (You guys, come to the party next Saturday)
- Ayuda a tu hermana con la tarea de matemáticas. (You, help your sister with the math homework.)
- Entregue el informe antes de las 5 p.m. (You formal, submit the report before 5 p.m.)
- Trabajemos juntos para alcanzar nuestras metas. (We, let’s work together to achieve our goals.)
- Sigan las instrucciones detalladas en el manual. (You all, follow the detailed instructions in the manual.)
- Compartid vuestras ideas durante la reunión. (You guys, share your ideas during the meeting.)
- Guarda los juguetes en su lugar después de jugar. (You, put the toys back in their place after playing.)
- Llame al cliente para confirmar la cita. (You formal, call the client to confirm the appointment.)
- Practiquemos las canciones para el concierto. (We, let’s practice the songs for the concert.)
- Atiendan las indicaciones del guía turístico. (You all, pay attention to the tour guide’s instructions.)
- Participad en la actividad de voluntariado este fin de semana. (You guys, participate in the volunteer activity this weekend.)
Examples of Negative Commands in Spanish
- No hables tan rápido. (Don’t speak so fast.)
- No comas tanto dulce. (Don’t eat so many sweets.)
- No vivas en el pasado. (Don’t live in the past.)
- No te olvides de hacer la tarea. (You, don’t forget to do the homework.)
- Por favor, no interrumpa durante la reunión. (You formal, please don’t interrupt during the meeting.)
- No lleguemos tarde a la cita. (We, let’s not be late for the appointment.)
- No hablen en voz alta en la biblioteca. (You all, don’t speak loudly in the library.)
- No uséis el teléfono durante la clase. (You guys, don’t use the phone during class.)
- No dejes la ropa tirada en el suelo. (You, don’t leave your clothes scattered on the floor.)
- No ignore las señales de seguridad. (You formal, don’t ignore the safety signs.)
- No hagan ruido durante la conferencia. (You all, don’t make noise during the conference.)
- No olvidemos apagar las luces al salir.(We, let’s not forget to turn off the lights when leaving.)
- No dejen basura en el área común. (You all, don’t leave trash in the common area.)
- No tengas miedo de pedir ayuda. (You, don’t be afraid of asking for help.)
- No comáis en la sala de conferencias. (You guys, don’t eat in the conference room.)
- No gastes todo tu dinero en cosas innecesarias. (You, don’t spend all your money on unnecessary things.)
- No vayan al parque sin la chaquetas. (You all, don’t go to the park without your jackets.)
- Por favor, no fume en este lugar. (You formal, please don’t smoke in this place.)
- No desperdiciemos recursos naturales. (We, let’s not waste natural resources.)
- No vengas sin tu pasaporte. (You, don’t come without your passport.)
- No dejen abierta la puerta de salida. (You all, don’t leave the exit door open.)
- No lleguéis tarde al ensayo del grupo. (You guys, don’t be late to the group rehearsal.)
- No pongas tus pies en la mesa. (You, don’t put your feet on the table.)
Giving Commands to a Friend or Family Member
When giving commands to someone you know well, you can use the informal tú commands. Here are some examples:
- Come aquí (Come here)
- Haz la cama (Make the bed)
- Limpia la cocina (Clean the kitchen)
Giving Commands to a Stranger or Someone You Respect
When giving commands to someone you don’t know well or someone you respect, you should use the formal usted commands. Here are some examples:
- Siéntese, por favor (Please sit down)
- Espere un momento, por favor (Please wait a moment)
- Abra la puerta, por favor (Please open the door)
Giving Commands to a Group
When giving commands to a group of people, you should use the nosotros or ustedes commands. Here are some examples:
- Vamos al cine (Let’s go to the cinema)
- No comamos carne (Let’s not eat meat)
- Abran los libros (Open your books)
Spanish Imperative: How to Give Commands in Spanish
When you want to give commands or make requests in Spanish, you will need to use the imperative mood. The imperative is a verb form that is used to give direct instructions or commands to someone. In Spanish, the imperative mood has two forms: formal and informal.
Spanish Commands Practise
Now that you know the basics of Spanish commands, it’s time to put them into practice. Here is an exercise that I have created to help you practise giving positive and negative commands in Spanish.
Remember to always use the appropriate subject pronoun when giving commands, and to use affirmative or negative commands depending on what you want to say.
Hi there! I’m Flor, and I’m thrilled to be able to help you with your Spanish! I’m a Spanish online teacher and course creator from the vibrant city of Buenos Aires, Argentina. Whether you’re just starting your language learning journey or looking to further enhance your skills, I’m here to guide you every step of the way. Let’s embark on this exciting learning adventure together!
