Commands, also known as the imperative mood, are essential in Spanish for giving instructions, making requests, or offering advice. Whether you’re asking someone to do something, directing them to follow a procedure, or simply encouraging an action, commands are a critical aspect of communication in everyday interactions.
This lesson provides an overview of how commands function in Spanish, including the different forms depending on who you are addressing (formal vs. informal) and whether the command is positive (do something) or negative (don’t do something).
1. The Imperative Mood in Spanish
The imperative mood is used specifically for giving commands or requests. It has distinct forms depending on:
- Who you are speaking to (singular vs. plural, formal vs. informal).
- What you want the person to do (positive commands) or not do (negative commands).
Unlike other verb tenses, the imperative mood does not exist for all the pronouns. Commands are typically given to tú (informal you), usted (formal you), vosotros/vosotras (informal you all, used in Spain), ustedes (you all, formal or informal in Latin America), and nosotros/nosotras (let’s).
2. Forms of Commands
Commands vary depending on whether they are positive (telling someone to do something) or negative (telling someone not to do something).
2.1 Positive Commands
- Tú (informal singular): Derived from the third-person singular (él/ella) form of the present indicative tense.
- Usted (formal singular): Formed from the third-person singular of the present subjunctive.
- Vosotros/Vosotras (informal plural in Spain): Formed by replacing the “r” of the infinitive with “d.”
- Ustedes (formal plural): Formed from the third-person plural of the present subjunctive.
- Nosotros/Nosotras (let’s): Formed from the first-person plural of the present subjunctive.
2.2 Negative Commands
- Tú (informal singular): Formed from the second-person singular of the present subjunctive.
- Usted (formal singular): Formed from the third-person singular of the present subjunctive.
- Vosotros/Vosotras (informal plural in Spain): Formed from the second-person plural of the present subjunctive.
- Ustedes (formal plural): Formed from the third-person plural of the present subjunctive.
- Nosotros/Nosotras (let’s not): Formed from the first-person plural of the present subjunctive.
3. Key Points to Remember
- Positive commands generally follow the structure of the present indicative for tú and the present subjunctive for others.
- Negative commands always use the present subjunctive forms.
- Irregular verbs often have unique command forms, especially for the tú and usted forms, which need to be memorized.
- Reflexive, indirect, and direct object pronouns are attached to the end of positive commands (e.g., Lávate – Wash yourself), but are placed before negative commands (e.g., No te laves – Don’t wash yourself).
4. Examples of Commands
Let’s take a look at some examples to see how these forms work:
-
Positive Commands:
- Tú: Habla con ella. (Talk to her.)
- Usted: Hable con ella. (Talk to her. – formal)
- Vosotros: Hablad con ella. (Talk to her. – informal plural, Spain)
- Ustedes: Hablen con ella. (Talk to her. – plural)
- Nosotros: Hablemos con ella. (Let’s talk to her.)
-
Negative Commands:
- Tú: No hables con ella. (Don’t talk to her.)
- Usted: No hable con ella. (Don’t talk to her. – formal)
- Vosotros: No habléis con ella. (Don’t talk to her. – informal plural, Spain)
- Ustedes: No hablen con ella. (Don’t talk to her. – plural)
- Nosotros: No hablemos con ella. (Let’s not talk to her.)
Conclusion
Mastering the imperative mood in Spanish is helpful for giving instructions, making requests, or simply encouraging someone to take action. By understanding the different forms for positive and negative commands, and the differences between formal and informal speech, you’ll be well-equipped to use commands appropriately in a variety of situations. Keep practicing, and soon, commanding in Spanish will become second nature!