Imperativo (Imperative Mood)
The imperativo in Spanish is a mood used to give commands, orders, requests, or advice. Unlike most verb forms in Spanish—where affirmative and negative sentences use the same verb conjugation with just a "no" added for negation—the imperative mood has different forms for affirmative and negative commands.
It is divided into two forms: the affirmative imperative, which is used to tell someone to do something, and the negative imperative, which is used to tell someone not to do something. The imperative mood has no first-person singular form, as you cannot give a command to yourself.
While the imperative does not directly express time (as tenses do), it generally implies that the action should take place immediately or in the near future. The context of the conversation or additional time expressions (like "ahora" or "mañana") can indicate a specific time frame.
Affirmative Imperative
The affirmativo form is used when telling someone to do something in a direct and positive way.
Usage:
- To give direct commands: Habla más despacio. (Speak more slowly.)
- To give instructions or orders: Come tus verduras. (Eat your vegetables.)
- To make a request or give advice: Llama a tu madre. (Call your mother.)
- To encourage someone to do something: Ve al gimnasio. (Go to the gym.)
Regular Conjugation (Affirmative):
| Person | AR Verbs | ER Verbs | IR Verbs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tú | habla | come | vive |
| Usted | hable | coma | viva |
| Nosotros | hablemos | comamos | vivamos |
| Vosotros | hablad | comed | vivid |
| Ustedes | hablen | coman | vivan |
Irregular Verbs:
Some verbs are irregular in the affirmative imperative, particularly in the tú form:
- Ser (to be): sé
- Ir (to go): ve
- Tener (to have): ten
- Hacer (to do/make): haz
- Venir (to come): ven
- Poner (to put): pon
- Decir (to say/tell): di
- Salir (to leave): sal
Reflexive Verbs:
For reflexive verbs, the reflexive pronoun is attached to the end of the verb in the affirmative imperative. If the verb has more than one syllable, an accent is added to maintain the correct stress.
- Lavarse (to wash oneself): Lávate las manos. (Wash your hands.)
- Sentarse (to sit): Siéntate aquí. (Sit here.)
Examples:
- Come tu cena. (Eat your dinner.)
- Ve a la tienda. (Go to the store.)
- Llama a tu hermana. (Call your sister.)
- Haz la tarea. (Do your homework.)
Negative Imperative
The negativo form is used to tell someone not to do something.
Usage:
- To give direct commands to avoid doing something: No hables. (Don’t speak.)
- To give instructions or orders to stop an action: No comas tan rápido. (Don’t eat so quickly.)
- To tell someone to avoid doing something: No toques eso. (Don’t touch that.)
Regular Conjugation (Negative):
| Person | AR Verbs | ER Verbs | IR Verbs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tú | no hables | no comas | no vivas |
| Usted | no hable | no coma | no viva |
| Nosotros | no hablemos | no comamos | no vivamos |
| Vosotros | no habléis | no comáis | no viváis |
| Ustedes | no hablen | no coman | no vivan |
Irregular Verbs:
Like in the affirmative imperative, certain verbs are irregular in the negative imperative, based on the subjunctive forms:
- Ser: no seas
- Ir: no vayas
- Tener: no tengas
- Hacer: no hagas
- Venir: no vengas
- Poner: no pongas
- Decir: no digas
- Salir: no salgas
Reflexive Verbs:
For reflexive verbs in the negative imperative, the reflexive pronoun comes before the verb, and the verb is conjugated in the subjunctive.
- Lavarse (to wash oneself): No te laves las manos. (Don’t wash your hands.)
- Sentarse (to sit): No te sientes allí. (Don’t sit there.)
Examples:
- No hables tan rápido. (Don’t speak so fast.)
- No comas más. (Don’t eat anymore.)
- No toques la pintura. (Don’t touch the paint.)
- No salgas esta noche. (Don’t go out tonight.)
