SPANISH IMPERATIVE FORM

Commands in Spanish are expressions wherein the speaker asks, requests, or pleas for something or encourages that something be done. These expressions encompass not only orders or commands but also encouragements or warnings.

These commands are generally (although not exclusively) phrased using the imperative mood, which directly addresses the recipient of the request or order through the verb.

THE BASICS

Command forms in Spanish are used to express orders, petitions, advice, pleas, encouragements, or warnings and are typically phrased in the imperative mood.

When using the imperative mood in Spanish, the subject is usually the person being addressed (second person). 

For example, Play ¡Escribe ese correo!
Write that email!

In the example above, Escribe (Write) is the command form used to directly tell someone to write the email. 

TYPES OF IMPERATIVES

In Spanish, there are two types of imperatives:

– Affirmative imperative, used to ask someone to do something.

– Negative imperative, used to ask someone to stop or refrain from doing something.

Affirmative Imperative

This command form is used to direct someone to perform an action, like for example, Haz eso (Do that).

When forming commands using the affirmative imperative, their structure will vary depending on the subject pronoun used. 

Specific forms are required when using the subject pronouns tú (you, informal), Usted (you, formal), vosotros (you, plural informal), and Ustedes (you, plural formal), as shown below (using the verb andar/to walk).

Let’s have a look at some examples:

Using the verb hablar (to talk)

Using the verb bajar (to go down)

Negative Imperative

This command form is used to prohibit someone from doing something, like for example, No hagas eso (Don’t do that).

Commands using the negative imperative are formed using the present subjunctive for all forms and all subjects, like in the example below using the phrase No corras (Do not run).

Let’s have a look at some examples:

Using the verb esperar (to wait)

Using the verb pisar (to step)

USING PRONOUNS WITH COMMANDS

In Spanish, the placement of object pronouns (direct and indirect) varies based on whether we are using affirmative or negative commands.

For Affirmative Imperative:

When using affirmative commands, the pronouns are attached to the end of the verb (enclitic)

For Negative Imperative:

When using negative commands, the pronouns are placed before the verb (proclitic):

Let’s see some examples:

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MORE FREE LESSONS

• Together in Spanish

  junto a + noun (person/place/thing)

• Because in Spanish

  Main clause + porque + subordinate clause

• Negatives in Spanish

  No + verb

• But in Spanish

  Clause 1 + pero + Clause 2