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10. The Imperative - Commands

The imperative is used when you give commands or ask someone to do something. Giving commands in Spanish is quite a bit more complicated than it is in English because the verb takes on a different form once again depending on whether you are being formal, informal or speaking to more than one person.

The imperative includes commands like: Go! Come! Eat! Speak!


Formal commands for verbs ending in ‘ar’

Here is the list of the imperative forms for some regular ‘ar’ verbs. Compare the command form to the form you would use for the regular conjugation for Usted.

In the first row you have the verb ‘tomar’ – ‘to take’. The regular conjugation for Usted (or él or ella) would be ‘Usted toma’. However, for the command form you would say ‘Tome usted’ (if speaking to one person) or ‘Tomen ustedes’ (if speaking to more than one person).

Verb

Usted

Singular Imperative

Plural Imperative

Tomar
To take,
to drink

Usted toma
You take

Tome usted

Tomen ustedes

Hablar
To speak

Usted habla
You speak

Hable usted

Hablen ustedes

Cantar
To sing

Usted canta
You sing

Cante usted

Canten ustedes

Andar
To walk

Usted anda
You walk

Ande usted

Anden ustedes

Pensar
To think

Usted piensa
You think

Piense usted

Piensen ustedes

Sentarse
To sit

Usted se sienta
You sit

Siéntese usted

Siéntense ustedes

Sound Click here to listen

Formal commands for verbs ending in ‘er’ and 'ir'

Here is the list of the imperative forms for some regular ‘er’ and ‘ir’ verbs.

Verb

Usted

Singular Imperative

Plural Imperative

Comer
To eat

Usted come
You eat

Coma usted

Coman ustedes

Beber
To drink

Usted bebe
You drink

Beba usted

Beban ustedes

Aprender
To learn

Usted aprende
You learn

Aprenda usted

Aprendan ustedes

Volver
To return

Usted vuelve
You return

Vuelva usted

Vuelvan ustedes

Escribir
To write

Usted escribe
You write

Escriba usted

Escriban ustedes

Vivir
To live

Usted vive
You live

Viva usted

Vivan ustedes

Sound Click here to listen

Let’s take a look at some examples:

Tome un poco de té – Have a little bit of tea.

Escriba una página sobre su viaje – Write a page about your trip

Entre y siéntese por favor – Enter and sit down please

Hable con ella – Talk to her (also the title of a famous film by Spanish director Pedro Almodovar)

Aprenda inglés antes de viajar a Inglaterra – Learn English before you travel to England

Cante algo para nosotros - Sing something for us

Sound Click here to listen


Irregular verbs and the imperative

There are also irregular verbs in the imperative. The following are the most common ones you will need in everyday conversation.

Verb

Usted

Singular Imperative

Plural Imperative

Ir
To go

Usted va
You go

Vaya usted

Vayan ustedes

Venir
To come

Usted viene
You come

Venga usted

Vengan ustedes

Tener
To have

Usted tiene
You have

Tenga usted

Tengan ustedes

Salir
To go out

Usted sale
You go out

Salga usted

Salgan ustedes

Dar
To give

Usted da
You give

Dé usted

Den ustedes

Ser
To be

Usted es
You are

Sea usted

Sean ustedes

Saber
To know

Usted sabe
You know

Sepa usted

Sepan Ustedes

Conocer
To know, to be familiar with

Usted conoce 
You know

Conozca Usted

Conozcan ustedes

Poner
To put

Usted pone
You put

Ponga Usted

Pongan Ustedes

Conducir
To drive

Usted conduce
You drive

Conduzca Usted

Conduzcan Ustedes

Hacer
To do

Usted hace
You do

Haga Usted

Hagan Ustedes

Oír
To listen

Usted oye
You listen

Oiga usted

Oigan ustedes

Sound Click here to listen

Let’s look at some examples:

Tenga cuidado con el cuchillo – Be careful with the knife

Ponga los platos sobre la mesa por favor – Please put the plates on the table

Hágame un favor – Do me a favor

¡Venga rápido! – Come quickly!

Vaya usted todo derecho hasta el semáforo – Go straight until the traffic light

Déme una buena razón – Give me a good reason

Sound Click here to listen


Negatives

The negative form of formal commands follow the same pattern:

Verb

Singular Imperative

Plural Imperative

Poner
To put

No ponga usted

No pongan ustedes

Salir
To go out

No salga usted

No salgan ustedes

Venir
To come

No venga usted

No vengan ustedes

Volver
To return

No vuelva usted

No vuelvan ustedes

Dormir
To sleep

No duerma usted

No duerman ustedes

Sound Click here to listen

Informal Commands

Informal commands are a bit easier. Use this when you refer to someone in the 'tu' form. The regular verbs take the form they would normally take with the él/ella/usted conjugation of the verb.

The following are a few of the common regular verbs and their informal imperative forms.

Verb

Singular Imperative

Plural Imperative

Escribir
To write

Escribe

Escriben ustedes

Vivir
To live

Vive

Viven ustedes

Aprender
To learn

Aprende

Aprenden ustedes

Comer
To eat

Come

Comen ustedes

Cantar
To sing

Canta

Cantan ustedes

Hablar
To speak

Habla

Hablan ustedes

Servir
To serve

Sirve

Sirven ustedes

Pedir
To ask

Pide

Piden ustedes

Dormir
To sleep

Duerme

Duermen ustedes

Volver
to return

Vuelve

Vuelven ustedes

Pensar
To think

Piensa

Piensan ustedes

Sound Click here to listen

The informal imperative forms of the common irregular verbs are as follows: 

Verb

Informal Imperative

Ser
To be

Sé

Ir
to go

Ve

Venir
To come

Ven

Tener
To have

Ten

Poner
To put

Pon

Salir
To go

Sal

Hacer
To do

Haz

Decir
To say

Di

Sound Click here to listen

Let’s look at a few examples with the informal imperative:

¡Come algo! – Eat something!

¡Ten cuidado! – Be careful!

¡Haz tu tarea! – Do your homework!

¡Vuelve rápido! – Return soon!

Sound Click here to listen

Verb

Negative Informal Imperative

Ser
To be

No seas

Ir
To go

No vayas

Venir
To come

No vengas

Tener
To have

No tengas

Poner
To put

No pongas

Salir
To go

No salgas

Hacer
To do

No hagas

Decir
To say

No digas

Sound Click here to listen


Now that you understand the Imperative, watch Sé Chévere (Be cool) from our Videos section, to hear it in use.