We use Imperative in order to:
- Give orders: No te muevas. Don t move.
- Instructions: Lave sus manos antes de comer. Wash your hands before eating.
- Ask a favor: Compra el periódico. Buy the newspaper.
- Suggestions / advice: Toma un vaso de leche y acuéstate.
- Advertise a product or service: Visita Nicaragua.
Imperative
The familiar (tu) command is always the same as the third person singular present indicative form of the verbs. Note the pronoun Tu is usually omitted with the command form.
Example:
Hablar: to talk
Pronombres Hablar: To talk
Yo hablo-o
Tu habl-as
El/ ella habl-a
Nos Habl-amos
Ellos Habl-an
Some familiar commands of irregular verbs do not follow a rule and should be learned separately. The negative familiar command of these verbs is obtained by adding an “s” to the polite singular command
The followings verbs have irregular forms for the familiar command (tu) Affirmative irregular verbs
| Infinitive | Afirmative | Negative |
| Decir: to say, tell | Di | No digas |
| Hacer: to do, make | haz | No hagas |
| Ir: to go | Ve | No vayas |
| Poner: to put | Pon | No pongas |
| Salir; to leave, depart | Sal | No salgas |
| Ser: to be | Se | No seas |
| Tener: to have | Ten | No tengas |
| Venir: to come | Ven | No vengas |
The polite command of regular verbs is obtained by using the stem of the first person singular of the present indicative tense and adding the following endings:
Hable
Coma
Escriba
Imperative- Negative forms
The formal command are formed by using the present subjuntive form of the verb. Note that the vowel of the subjunctive ending is the reverse of that usually associated with the particular conjugation; ar verbs have the vowel e. and ER and IR verbs have the vowel a.
As with the formal commands, the subjunctive form of the verb is used for all negative informal commands:
Hablar: No hables
Comer: No comas
Escribir: No escribas
The familiar plural command (ustedes) is the same as the formal commands since in most Spanish speaking countries there is no differentiation between the forml and familiar forms in the plural.
The vosotros form is not used in latin America.
Exercise #1 Translate. Traduzca
- Show me the road.
- Wait until tomorrow.
- Don t run so fast.
- Don t close the door.
- Tell us the truth
- Pay us with a check.