Los Mandatos
Above are links students can use to practice the forms of the Commands.
Imperative Mood
The only true imperative forms in Spanish are those of the second person familiar, tú and vosotros, in the affirmative. All other commands, direct and indirect, employ the forms of the present subjunctive.
Three Rules for Forming Commands
The rules for forming commands can be reduced to three rather simple statements. However, recognizing spoken and written commands and using appropriate forms automatically requires careful observation and conscientious effort.
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RULE #1: Affirmative commands for tú and vosotros use special forms.
A) Tú: For regular imperative forms the affirmative tú command drops the -s of the present indicative and thus is identical to the third person singular.
INDICATIVE AFFIRMATIVE COMMAND
hablas --> habla
comes --> come
escribes --> escribe
The follow and their compounds are irregular:
Infinitive: decir ser ir hacer poner salir tener venir
Familiar command: di sé ve haz pon sal ten ven
Ex. ¡Deja a los niños!
Leave those kids alone!
¡Sube con ellos! ¡Cierra puertas y ventanas!
Get in with them! Close the doors and windows!
Ten fe, niña. Yo te prometo que serás feliz.
Have faith, child. I promise you that you will be happy.
Ven conmigo. Vamos a la playa.
Come with me. We are going to the beach.
B) Vosotros: The r of the infinitive becomes d in affirmative vosotros commands.
Hablad con Juan si lo veis.
Venid cuando queráis.
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RULE #2: All other direct commands are forms of the subjunctive. This means negative commands for tú and vosotros, and both affirmative and negative commands for usted, ustedes and nosotros.
The English equivalent of commands for nosotros uses let's. We can also use vamos a plus an infinitive to express the same idea: Comamos = Vamos a comer (Let's eat)
usted(es):
Oigan, ¿no será sorda?
Listen, isn't he deaf?
Dejen que Rosaura coma.
Let Rosaura eat.
No tenga miedo. Ya pasó el peligro.
Don't be afraid. The danger has now passed.
tú (negative only):
No seas orgulloso, abuelo.
Don't be prideful Grandpa.
No tengas miedo. Sólo es una araña.
Don't be afraid. It is just a spider.
No pienses más.
Don't think about it anymore.
vosotros (negative only):
No tengáis prisa. Antes tienen que madurar muchas espigas.
Don't be in a hurry. Lots of sprigs have to mature first.
nosotros:
Olvidemos que esta noche es la última.
Forget that this is the last night.
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RULE #3: Object pronouns follow and are attached to affirmative command forms; they precede negative commands. For vosotros commands the d is omitted when reflexive os is added (exception: idos), and for nosotros commands the -s of the ending -mos is dropped when reflexive nos is added. When pronouns are added to command forms of more than one syllable, an accent mark is needed to maintain the original stress of the verb.
AFFIRMATIVE NEGATIVE
tú:
Háblame en español. No me hables en inglés.
Ponla aquí. No la pongas ahí.
Levántete y vístete No te levantes ni te vistes.
vosotros:
Habladme en español. No me habléis en inglés.
Ponedla aquí. No la pongáis ahí.
Levantaos y vistíos. No os levantéis ni os vistáis.
nosotros:
Hablémosle en español. No le hablemos en inglés.
Pongámosla aquí. No la pongamos ahí.
Levantémonos y vistamonos No nos levantemos ni te vistes.
usted:
Hábleme en español. No me hable en inglés.
Póngala aquí. No la ponga ahí.
Levántese y vístese No se levante ni se viste.
ustedes
Háblenme en español. No me hablen en inglés.
Pónganla aquí. No la pongan ahí.
Levántese y vístese No se levanten ni se vistes.
The only true imperative forms in Spanish are those of the second person familiar, tú and vosotros, in the affirmative. All other commands, direct and indirect, employ the forms of the present subjunctive.
Three Rules for Forming Commands
The rules for forming commands can be reduced to three rather simple statements. However, recognizing spoken and written commands and using appropriate forms automatically requires careful observation and conscientious effort.
- Affirmative commands for tú and vosotros use special imperative forms.
- All other direct commands are forms of the subjunctive.
- Object pronouns follow and are attached to affirmative commands; they precede negative commands.
------------------------------------------------------------
RULE #1: Affirmative commands for tú and vosotros use special forms.
A) Tú: For regular imperative forms the affirmative tú command drops the -s of the present indicative and thus is identical to the third person singular.
INDICATIVE AFFIRMATIVE COMMAND
hablas --> habla
comes --> come
escribes --> escribe
The follow and their compounds are irregular:
Infinitive: decir ser ir hacer poner salir tener venir
Familiar command: di sé ve haz pon sal ten ven
Ex. ¡Deja a los niños!
Leave those kids alone!
¡Sube con ellos! ¡Cierra puertas y ventanas!
Get in with them! Close the doors and windows!
Ten fe, niña. Yo te prometo que serás feliz.
Have faith, child. I promise you that you will be happy.
Ven conmigo. Vamos a la playa.
Come with me. We are going to the beach.
B) Vosotros: The r of the infinitive becomes d in affirmative vosotros commands.
Hablad con Juan si lo veis.
Venid cuando queráis.
------------------------------------------------------------
RULE #2: All other direct commands are forms of the subjunctive. This means negative commands for tú and vosotros, and both affirmative and negative commands for usted, ustedes and nosotros.
The English equivalent of commands for nosotros uses let's. We can also use vamos a plus an infinitive to express the same idea: Comamos = Vamos a comer (Let's eat)
usted(es):
Oigan, ¿no será sorda?
Listen, isn't he deaf?
Dejen que Rosaura coma.
Let Rosaura eat.
No tenga miedo. Ya pasó el peligro.
Don't be afraid. The danger has now passed.
tú (negative only):
No seas orgulloso, abuelo.
Don't be prideful Grandpa.
No tengas miedo. Sólo es una araña.
Don't be afraid. It is just a spider.
No pienses más.
Don't think about it anymore.
vosotros (negative only):
No tengáis prisa. Antes tienen que madurar muchas espigas.
Don't be in a hurry. Lots of sprigs have to mature first.
nosotros:
Olvidemos que esta noche es la última.
Forget that this is the last night.
------------------------------------------------------------
RULE #3: Object pronouns follow and are attached to affirmative command forms; they precede negative commands. For vosotros commands the d is omitted when reflexive os is added (exception: idos), and for nosotros commands the -s of the ending -mos is dropped when reflexive nos is added. When pronouns are added to command forms of more than one syllable, an accent mark is needed to maintain the original stress of the verb.
AFFIRMATIVE NEGATIVE
tú:
Háblame en español. No me hables en inglés.
Ponla aquí. No la pongas ahí.
Levántete y vístete No te levantes ni te vistes.
vosotros:
Habladme en español. No me habléis en inglés.
Ponedla aquí. No la pongáis ahí.
Levantaos y vistíos. No os levantéis ni os vistáis.
nosotros:
Hablémosle en español. No le hablemos en inglés.
Pongámosla aquí. No la pongamos ahí.
Levantémonos y vistamonos No nos levantemos ni te vistes.
usted:
Hábleme en español. No me hable en inglés.
Póngala aquí. No la ponga ahí.
Levántese y vístese No se levante ni se viste.
ustedes
Háblenme en español. No me hablen en inglés.
Pónganla aquí. No la pongan ahí.
Levántese y vístese No se levanten ni se vistes.
