The Imperative (Leaving Cert Spanish): Revision Notes
The imperative
Overview
The imperative is a verb form used to give commands, orders, or instructions. In Spanish, you use it when telling someone to do something (or not to do something). The imperative has different forms depending on who you're speaking to and whether you're being formal or informal.
There are several types of imperative commands:
- Informal affirmative - telling friends/family to do something
- Informal negative - telling friends/family NOT to do something
- Formal - giving polite commands or instructions
Rules & formation
Informal affirmative commands
The formation of informal affirmative commands follows specific patterns depending on who you're addressing.
Formation Rule: For tú (speaking to one person)
Remove the -s from the tú form of the present tense:
- Llamar → llamas → llama (call)
- Comer → comes → come (eat)
- Abrir → abres → abre (open)
Formation Rule: For vosotros (speaking to more than one person)
Remove the -r from the infinitive and add -d:
- Llamar → llamad (call)
- Comer → comed (eat)
- Abrir → abrid (open)
Informal negative commands
For negative commands (telling someone NOT to do something), the formation is completely different from affirmative commands.
Key Rule for Negative Commands: Always use NO + present subjunctive for negative commands:
- No hables con ella (Don't talk to her - tú)
- No habléis con ella (Don't talk to her - vosotros)
- No vengas a verme (Don't come to see me - tú)
- No vengáis a verme (Don't come to see me - vosotros)
Formal commands (usted/ustedes)
For formal situations, the approach is consistent for both positive and negative commands.
Formal Command Formation: Use the present subjunctive for both positive and negative commands:
- Escuche (Listen - to one person formally)
- No escuche (Don't listen - to one person formally)
- Escuchen (Listen - to more than one person formally)
- No escuchen (Don't listen - to more than one person formally)
Table of key forms
Regular imperative forms
| Infinitive | Tú (informal) | Vosotros (informal) | Usted (formal) | Ustedes (formal) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| hablar | habla (speak) | hablad (speak) | hable (speak) | hablen (speak) |
| comer | come (eat) | comed (eat) | coma (eat) | coman (eat) |
| vivir | vive (live) | vivid (live) | viva (live) | vivan (live) |
Irregular tú commands
Critical to Memorise: Irregular Tú Commands
These verbs have special forms that don't follow the regular pattern:
| Infinitive | Irregular tú command | English |
|---|---|---|
| decir | di | tell/say |
| hacer | haz | do |
| ir | ve | go |
| oír | oye | listen |
| poner | pon | put |
| salir | sal | go out |
| ser | sé | be |
| tener | ten | have |
| venir | ven | come |
Example sentences
Informal affirmative (tú):
- Llámame. (Call me.)
- Come la pizza. (Eat the pizza.)
- Abre la ventana. (Open the window.)
Informal affirmative (vosotros):
- Llamadme. (Call me.)
- Comed la pizza. (Eat the pizza.)
- Abrid la ventana. (Open the window.)
Informal negative:
- No salgas a las tres. (Don't go out at three o'clock.)
- No vengáis a verme. (Don't come to see me.)
Formal commands:
- Escuche, por favour. (Listen, please.)
- No salgan esta noche. (Don't go out tonight.)
In these examples, the imperative directly tells someone what to do or what not to do, making it essential for everyday communication in Spanish.
Common mistakes & tips
Common Pitfalls to Avoid:
Mistake 1: Using the wrong form for informal commands
- ❌ Incorrect: Hablas conmigo (This is present tense)
- ✅ Correct: Habla conmigo (This is imperative)
Mistake 2: Forgetting irregular tú forms
- ❌ Incorrect: Hace tu tarea
- ✅ Correct: Haz tu tarea (Do your homework)
Mistake 3: Using infinitive instead of subjunctive for negative commands
- ❌ Incorrect: No hablar con él
- ✅ Correct: No hables con él (Don't talk to him)
Mistake 4: Mixing up formal and informal situations
- Remember: use subjunctive forms (escuche, salga) when being formal
- Use regular imperative forms (escucha, sal) when being informal
Memory tip: For irregular tú commands, remember the phrase "Ven di haz - sé ten pon - sal ve oye" to recall the most common irregular forms.
Remember!
Key Points to Remember:
- The imperative is used to give direct commands or instructions
- Regular tú commands are formed by removing -s from the present tense tú form
- Vosotros commands are formed by changing infinitive -r to -d
- Nine common verbs have irregular tú command forms that must be memorised
- All negative commands use the present subjunctive with "no"
- Formal commands (usted/ustedes) always use the present subjunctive
- Context determines whether to use formal or informal commands