The Imperative Mood (Junior Cert Spanish): Revision Notes
The Imperative Mood
Overview
The imperative mood is used to give commands, instructions, or make requests in Spanish. Think of it as the "bossy" mood - you use it when telling someone what to do or not to do!
Spanish has four different command forms because there are four ways to say "you":
- tú (informal singular) - with friends, family, children
- vosotros (informal plural) - with groups of friends/family (mainly used in Spain)
- usted (formal singular) - with strangers, teachers, older people
- ustedes (formal plural) - with groups of people formally
You'll mainly use tú and vosotros commands at this level.
Regional Note: The vosotros form is primarily used in Spain. In Latin America, ustedes is used for both formal and informal plural situations. Focus on the tú form first as it's the most universally used informal command.
Rules & Formation
Positive Commands (telling someone TO do something)
For tú commands: Use the third person singular form of the verb (the él/ella form).
- hablar → habla (speak!)
- comer → come (eat!)
- escribir → escribe (write!)
For vosotros commands: Remove the final 'r' from the infinitive and add 'd'.
- hablar → hablad (speak!)
- comer → comed (eat!)
- escribir → escribid (write!)
Negative Commands (telling someone NOT to do something)
For tú commands: Use the second person singular of the present subjunctive.
- hablar → no hables (don't speak!)
- comer → no comas (don't eat!)
- escribir → no escribas (don't write!)
For vosotros commands: Use the second person plural of the present subjunctive.
- hablar → no habléis (don't speak!)
- comer → no comáis (don't eat!)
- escribir → no escribáis (don't write!)
Key Difference: Positive and negative commands use completely different verb forms! Positive commands use indicative forms, while negative commands always use subjunctive forms.
Pronouns with Commands
The placement of pronouns changes depending on whether the command is positive or negative:
With positive commands: Attach pronouns to the end of the verb.
- Levántate (Get up!)
- Dame (Give me!)
With negative commands: Place pronouns before the verb.
- No te levantes (Don't get up!)
- No me des (Don't give me!)
Memory Tip: Think "positive = stick together, negative = keep apart" when it comes to pronoun placement with commands.
Table of Key Forms
| Infinitive | tú (Positive) | tú (Negative) | vosotros (Positive) | vosotros (Negative) | English |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| cerrar | cierra | no cierres | cerrad | no cerréis | close |
| colorear | colorea | no colorees | coloread | no coloréis | colour in |
| dibujar | dibuja | no dibujes | dibujad | no dibujéis | draw |
| escuchar | escucha | no escuches | escuchad | no escuchéis | listen |
| mirar | mira | no mires | mirad | no miréis | look at |
| abrir | abre | no abras | abrid | no abráis | open |
| enseñar | enseña | no enseñes | enseñad | no enseñéis | show |
| sentarse | siéntate | no te sientes | sentaos | no os sentéis | sit down |
| levantarse | levántate | no te levantes | levantaos | no os levantéis | stand up |
Irregular Commands
Some verbs have irregular positive tú forms:
- poner → pon (put on) / no pongas (don't put on)
- decir → di (tell) / no digas (don't tell)
Irregular Commands: These irregular forms only affect positive tú commands. The negative forms still follow the regular subjunctive patterns.
Example Sentences
Worked Examples: Command Forms in Context
Positive Commands:
- ¡Abre la ventana! - Open the window! (This is a direct instruction using the tú form)
- ¡Escuchad la música! - Listen to the music! (This uses the vosotros form to address multiple people)
- ¡Ponte el abrigo! - Put on your coat! (Notice how 'te' attaches to the end of the positive command)
Negative Commands:
- ¡No cierres la puerta! - Don't close the door! (The negative command uses the subjunctive form)
- ¡No me digas! - Don't tell me! (With negative commands, pronouns go before the verb)
- ¡No os levantéis todavía! - Don't get up yet! (Addressing multiple people informally)
Common Mistakes & Tips
Common Errors to Avoid:
- Mixing up positive and negative forms - Remember that positive and negative commands use completely different verb forms
- Pronoun placement - Students often put pronouns in the wrong place (attach to positive commands, separate from negative ones)
- Confusing formal and informal - At this level, focus on tú and vosotros forms first
- Accent marks - Commands with attached pronouns often need accent marks to keep the original stress
Helpful Tips for Success:
- Practice the positive tú command first - it's usually the easiest as it's just the él/ella form
- For negative commands, if you know present subjunctive, you're halfway there!
- Remember: positive = stick together, negative = keep apart (for pronouns)
- Listen for commands in Spanish songs or films - they're everywhere!
Mini Practice
Practice Exercise: Command Forms
Spanish to English:
- ¡Dibuja un gato!
- ¡No me mires!
- ¡Levantaos!
English to Spanish: 4. Don't listen! 5. Give me the book! (informal singular) 6. Don't sit down! (informal plural)
Answers:
- Draw a cat!
- Don't look at me!
- Get up! (addressing multiple people)
- ¡No escuches!
- ¡Dame el libro!
- ¡No os sentéis!
Key Points to Remember:
- The imperative mood is used to give commands and instructions
- Positive tú commands use the third person singular form (él/ella form)
- Negative commands always use the present subjunctive
- Pronouns attach to positive commands but go before negative commands
- There are four types of commands in Spanish, but focus on tú and vosotros forms first
- Some verbs like poner and decir have irregular positive tú command forms