The Imperative tense: Commands
Spanish 4 AP, Interacciones pages 204,283,300
Commands allow you to give a direct order. There are several kinds of commands:
Formal (Usted and Ustedes) Informal (Tú and Vosotros/as) Nosotros/as
Formation: Affirmative and Negative formal commands
are derived from the present subjunctive so they are formed by starting with the yo form of the present tense, and interchanging the –AR and –ER/ -IR endings. Él/ella/Ud endings will work for the formal UD command, and ellos/ellas/Uds endings will work for the Uds (or you plural) command. Present tense stem changes apply as well as any present tense verb that has an irregularity in the yo form.
Infinitive Yo form Present
Alt. Ending UD command Uds. command
Hablar Hablo -e/-en Hable Ud. Hablen Uds
Comer Como -a/-an Coma Ud. Coman Uds
Cerrar Cierro -e/-en Cierre Ud. Cierren Uds
Tener Tengo -a/-an Tenga Ud. Tengan Uds
Conducir Conduzco -a/-an Conduzca Conduzcan
Dormir Duermo -a/-an Duerma Ud Duerman Uds
Formation of Negative Commands: To make the command negative, just add
the word “no” before the conjugated command.
Example: ¡No hablen Uds. cuando la maestra está
enseñando! (Don’t talk when the teacher is
teaching!)
Infinitive Ud. Command Uds. Command
Ir (to go) Vaya Ud. Vayan Uds.
Ser (to be) Sea Ud. Sean Uds.
Estar (to be) Esté Ud. Estén Uds.
Dar (to give) Dé Ud. Den Uds.
Saber (to know) Sepa Ud. Sepan Uds.
Spelling change: *Note that the following verbs are regular,
but they have a spelling change in the command form.
Infinitive Ud Command Uds. Command
Tocar Toque Ud. Toquen Uds.
Picar Pique Ud. Piquen Uds.
Jugar Juegue Ud. Jueguen Uds.
Pagar Pague Ud. Paguen Uds.
Agregar Agregue Ud. Agreguen Uds.
Empezar Empiece Ud. Empiecen Uds.
1. Negative informal commands for tú and vosotros are derived from the present subjunctive. This means you start in the yo form of the present indicative, drop the “o” and add opposite endings.
Examples:
Tú Vosotros
No compres más. No compréis más.
No digas eso. No digáis eso.
The endings for tú are: AR verbs- es ER and IR verbs- as The endings for the vosotros are: AR verbs- éis ER and IR verbs- áis
There are 6 irregular negative familiar commands:
Tú/ Vosotros Ir – no vayas/ no vayáis Dar- no des/ no deis Ser – no seas/ no seáis Estar-no estés/ no estéis Saber- no sepas/ no sepáis Haber-no hayas/ no hayáis
The Affirmative informal commands for tú and vosotros(as) have their own endings. The affirmative informal commands are derived from the present indicative tú form minus the person ending –s.
Present Ind. Command Meaning
Contestas el teléfono. Contesta el teléfono. Answer the phone.
The endings are: AR verbs- a ER and IR verbs- e
The irregular affirmative tú commands are Decir – Di Poner - Pon Tener – Ten Ser – Sé Venir – Ven Hacer- Haz Ir – Ve Salir- Sal
3. The affirmative vosotros(as) commands are formed by replacing the –r if the infinitive with –d. They lose their final –d when the reflexive pronoun os is attached: acordaos. The one exception to this rule is irse= idos (go away).
Examples- Hablar= Hablad Salir= Salid
1.The present subjunctive forms of nosotros(as) are used as commands.
Tomemos el tren.= Let’s take the train. No hagamos nada.= Let’s not do anything.
2. The affirmative nosotros command is often replaced by vamos+a+infinitive. Vamos a estudiar may mean either we are going to study, or Let’s study. No vamos a estudiar can only mean We are not going to study.
3. Vamos is used instead of Vayamos for let’s go. The present tense subjunctive form is used for the negative: no vayamos.
Vamos al centro. No vayamos al cine.
4. In affirmative nosotros commands, the final –s of the verb ending is dropped when the reflexive pronoun nos or the indirect object pronoun se is added. An accent mark is written over the stressed syllable. For example: Lavémonos (Lavemos + nos) Let’s wash or Prestémoselo (Prestemos + se + lo) Let’s lendit to her.
Other examples- (irse) Vámonos (Sentarse) Sentémonos
Infinitive + Tú Command - Tú CommandAprender
Abrir
Pensar
Decir
Tener
Venir
Empezar
Ser
Cortar
Ir
Infinitive + VosotrosCommand
- Vosotros Command
Cantar
Escribir
Cerrar
Decir
Tener
Venir
Comenzar
Ser
Correr
Ir
Infinitive Usted Ustedes
Servir
Querer
Venir
Doblar
Escuchar
Comer
Poner
Hacer
Dormir
Conocer
*How would you make these commands negative?
1.Textbook p205, exercises 6.8 and 6.92.Textbook p 284, exercises 8.7 and 8.83.Textbook p301, exercises 8.31,8.32, 8.33