Learning how to give commands in Spanish is an essential part of mastering the language. The imperative mood is used to give direct orders, advice, or instructions. Unlike other verb forms, the imperative does not have a subject since the subject is implied. For example, when you say “Eat your vegetables” in English, the subject “you” is understood. Similarly, in Spanish, when you say “Come tus vegetales,” the subject is implied.
The imperative mood can be both formal and informal, and it also changes depending on whether you’re giving a positive or negative command. In this article, we will cover the different forms of the imperative mood in Spanish, including how to use it with various subjects and in different contexts.
Forms of the Imperative Mood
Informal Commands (Tú)
For informal commands directed at someone you know well, such as a friend or family member, you’ll use the tú form. Here’s how you form positive and negative commands:
Positive Commands:
1. For regular verbs, use the third-person singular (él/ella/usted) form of the present indicative.
– *Hablar* (to talk) becomes *Habla* (talk).
– *Comer* (to eat) becomes *Come* (eat).
– *Escribir* (to write) becomes *Escribe* (write).
2. Irregular verbs have unique forms:
– *Decir* (to say) becomes *Di*.
– *Hacer* (to do/make) becomes *Haz*.
– *Ir* (to go) becomes *Ve*.
– *Poner* (to put) becomes *Pon*.
– *Salir* (to leave) becomes *Sal*.
– *Ser* (to be) becomes *Sé*.
– *Tener* (to have) becomes *Ten*.
– *Venir* (to come) becomes *Ven*.
Negative Commands:
1. Start with the yo form of the present indicative.
2. Drop the -o ending.
3. Add the opposite vowel ending for tú (-es for -ar verbs, -as for -er/-ir verbs).
– *Hablar* becomes *No hables*.
– *Comer* becomes *No comas*.
– *Escribir* becomes *No escribas*.
Irregular negative tú commands often follow the same irregularities as the present subjunctive:
– *No digas* (don’t say) from *decir*.
– *No hagas* (don’t do/make) from *hacer*.
– *No vayas* (don’t go) from *ir*.
– *No pongas* (don’t put) from *poner*.
– *No salgas* (don’t leave) from *salir*.
– *No seas* (don’t be) from *ser*.
– *No tengas* (don’t have) from *tener*.
– *No vengas* (don’t come) from *venir*.
Formal Commands (Usted and Ustedes)
Formal commands are used when addressing someone in a position of authority or someone you don’t know well. These commands are used for both singular (usted) and plural (ustedes) forms.
Positive and Negative Commands:
1. Start with the yo form of the present indicative.
2. Drop the -o ending.
3. Add the opposite vowel ending for usted (-e for -ar verbs, -a for -er/-ir verbs) and add -n for ustedes.
– *Hablar* becomes *Hable* (usted) and *Hablen* (ustedes).
– *Comer* becomes *Coma* (usted) and *Coman* (ustedes).
– *Escribir* becomes *Escriba* (usted) and *Escriban* (ustedes).
Irregular formal commands also follow the present subjunctive forms:
– *Decir* becomes *Diga* (usted) and *Digan* (ustedes).
– *Hacer* becomes *Haga* (usted) and *Hagan* (ustedes).
– *Ir* becomes *Vaya* (usted) and *Vayan* (ustedes).
– *Poner* becomes *Ponga* (usted) and *Pongan* (ustedes).
– *Salir* becomes *Salga* (usted) and *Salgan* (ustedes).
– *Ser* becomes *Sea* (usted) and *Sean* (ustedes).
– *Tener* becomes *Tenga* (usted) and *Tengan* (ustedes).
– *Venir* becomes *Venga* (usted) and *Vengan* (ustedes).
Nosotros Commands
Nosotros commands are used when you want to include yourself and others in a command, similar to saying “let’s” in English.
Positive and Negative Commands:
1. Start with the yo form of the present indicative.
2. Drop the -o ending.
3. Add the opposite vowel ending for nosotros (-emos for -ar verbs, -amos for -er/-ir verbs).
– *Hablar* becomes *Hablemos*.
– *Comer* becomes *Comamos*.
– *Escribir* becomes *Escribamos*.
Irregular nosotros commands follow the present subjunctive:
– *Decir* becomes *Digamos*.
– *Hacer* becomes *Hagamos*.
– *Ir* becomes *Vayamos*.
– *Poner* becomes *Pongamos*.
– *Salir* becomes *Salgamos*.
– *Ser* becomes *Seamos*.
– *Tener* becomes *Tengamos*.
– *Venir* becomes *Vengamos*.
For the verb *ir*, the positive nosotros command is often simplified to *Vamos* instead of *Vayamos*.
Vosotros Commands
Vosotros commands are used primarily in Spain and not in Latin America. This form is used to address a group of friends or peers.
Positive Commands:
1. Drop the -r from the infinitive and add -d.
– *Hablar* becomes *Hablad*.
– *Comer* becomes *Comed*.
– *Escribir* becomes *Escribid*.
Negative Commands:
1. Use the present subjunctive vosotros form.
– *Hablar* becomes *No habléis*.
– *Comer* becomes *No comáis*.
– *Escribir* becomes *No escribáis*.
Reflexive Verbs in the Imperative
When dealing with reflexive verbs, you need to attach the reflexive pronoun to the end of positive commands and place it before the verb in negative commands.
Positive Commands:
1. Attach the reflexive pronoun to the end of the verb.
– *Levantarse* (to get up) becomes *Levántate* (tú), *Levántese* (usted), *Levantémonos* (nosotros), *Levantaos* (vosotros), *Levántense* (ustedes).
2. Add an accent mark to maintain the original stress.
– *Levántate* (tú), *Levántese* (usted), *Levantémonos* (nosotros), *Levantaos* (vosotros), *Levántense* (ustedes).
Negative Commands:
1. Place the reflexive pronoun before the verb.
– *Levantarse* becomes *No te levantes* (tú), *No se levante* (usted), *No nos levantemos* (nosotros), *No os levantéis* (vosotros), *No se levanten* (ustedes).
Object Pronouns in Commands
When using direct, indirect, or reflexive pronouns with commands, their placement changes depending on whether the command is positive or negative.
Positive Commands:
1. Attach the pronoun to the end of the verb.
– *Dime* (tell me), *Hazlo* (do it), *Cómelo* (eat it).
2. Add an accent mark to maintain the original stress.
– *Háblame* (talk to me), *Cómpralo* (buy it).
Negative Commands:
1. Place the pronoun before the verb.
– *No me digas* (don’t tell me), *No lo hagas* (don’t do it), *No lo comas* (don’t eat it).
Special Considerations and Common Mistakes
Here are some special considerations and common mistakes to watch out for when forming and using commands in Spanish:
1. **Stem-Changing Verbs**: In positive tú commands, stem-changing verbs like *pensar* (to think) and *volver* (to return) undergo the same stem changes as in the present indicative.
– *Pensar* becomes *Piensa*.
– *Volver* becomes *Vuelve*.
2. **Irregular First Person Verbs**: Verbs with irregular yo forms in the present indicative maintain their irregularity in commands.
– *Conducir* (to drive) has the yo form *conduzco*, so it becomes *conduzca* (usted).
– *Conocer* (to know) has the yo form *conozco*, so it becomes *conozca* (usted).
3. **Verbs Ending in -car, -gar, and -zar**: These verbs have spelling changes to maintain pronunciation.
– *Buscar* (to search) becomes *busque* (usted) and *no busques* (tú).
– *Pagar* (to pay) becomes *pague* (usted) and *no pagues* (tú).
– *Empezar* (to start) becomes *empiece* (usted) and *no empieces* (tú).
4. **Accents**: When attaching pronouns to positive commands, always remember to add an accent mark to keep the original stress of the verb. This is crucial for maintaining the correct pronunciation and meaning of the command.
5. **Double Object Pronouns**: When using both direct and indirect object pronouns, the indirect object pronoun comes first.
– *Dámelo* (give it to me), *Pónselo* (put it on him/her).
Practice and Application
Understanding the rules of the imperative mood is just the first step. To truly master commands in Spanish, you’ll need to practice them in various contexts. Here are a few exercises to help you get started:
1. **Forming Commands**: Convert the following infinitives into tú, usted, and nosotros commands.
– *Hablar* (to talk)
– *Comer* (to eat)
– *Escribir* (to write)
2. **Negative Commands**: Convert the following infinitives into negative tú, usted, and nosotros commands.
– *Vivir* (to live)
– *Leer* (to read)
– *Beber* (to drink)
3. **Using Pronouns**: Attach the appropriate pronouns to the following commands.
– *Comprar* (to buy) + *lo* (it) in tú form
– *Decir* (to say) + *me* (to me) in usted form
– *Hacer* (to do) + *nos* (to us) in nosotros form
4. **Reflexive Verbs**: Form positive and negative commands using reflexive verbs.
– *Lavarse* (to wash oneself)
– *Acostarse* (to go to bed)
– *Vestirse* (to get dressed)
By regularly practicing and using commands in real-life situations, you’ll become more comfortable and confident in your ability to give instructions in Spanish. Remember, mastering the imperative mood is not just about memorizing rules; it’s about applying them naturally in conversation. Happy learning!
