Imperative

The imperative mood is used to give direct commands, instructions, requests, or advice to someone. They are always second-person (tú, vos, usted, ustedes) because they address someone directly.

How to form

  • Affirmative
    • Tú: 3rd-person singular present indicative.
      • habla, come, vive
    • Vos: Same as vos present, menos the s
      • hablá, comé, viví
    • Ud: present subj. (ud) = “present ind. yo root“ + opposite vowel
      • hable, coma, viva
    • Uds: present subj. (uds) = “present ind. yo root“ + opposite vowel + n
      • hablan, coman, vivan
  • Negative
    • Tú: no + present subj. (tú) = “present ind. yo root“ + opposite vowel + s
      • no hables, no comas, no vivas
    • Vos: no + present subj. (vos) = “present ind. yo root“ + stressed opposite vowel + s
      • no hablés, no comás, no vivás
    • Ud: no + present subj. (ud) = “present ind. yo root“ + opposite vowel
      • no hable, no coma, no viva
    • Uds: no + present subj. (uds) = “present ind. yo root“ + opposite vowel + n
      • no hablen, no coman, no vivan

Present subjunctive review

  1. Start with the yo form of the present indicative (e.g., hablo, como).
  2. Drop the final -o.
  3. Add opposite vowel e
    • -AR: e, es, és, e, emos, en
    • -ER/-IR: a, as, ás, a, amos, an

Regular examples

Pronounhablarno hablarcomerno comerviverno vivir
Túhablano hablescomeno comasviveno vivas
Voshabláno habléscoméno comásvivíno vivás
Ustedhableno hablecomano comavivano viva
Ustedeshablenno hablencomanno comanvivanno vivan

Irregulars

  • Affirmative tú
    • There are 8 super-irregular verbs in the affirmative tu. (ven, di, sal, haz, ten, ve, pon, sé)
  • Affirmative vos
    • ir often becomes andá (instead of “í” or “vé”)
    • ser remains sé (same as tú)
  • Negative
    • For negative commands all verbs use the present subjunctive, so if they are irregular there then they keep that irregular root here.
Pronounvenirno venirdecirno decirsalirno salir
Túvenno vengasdino digassalno salgas
Vosveníno vengásdecíno digássalíno salgás
Ustedvengano vengadigano digasalgano salga
Ustedesvenganno vengandiganno digansalganno salgan
Pronounhacerno hacertenerno tenerirno ir
Túhazno hagastenno tengasveno vayas
Voshacéno hagástenéno tengásandáno vayás
Ustedhagano hagatengano tengavayano vaya
Ustedeshaganno hagantenganno tenganvayanno vayan
Pronounponerno ponerserno ser
Túponno pongasséno seas
Vosponéno pongásséno seás
Ustedpongano pongaseano sea
Ustedesponganno ponganseanno sean