What is the Spanish Imperative?

The Imperative is a grammatical mood used to express orders, commands, requests, or suggestions. It is a direct way of addressing someone and telling them what to do. The Spanish Imperative has both affirmative and negative forms, which we will explore in this guide.

Affirmative Imperative Forms

There are specific conjugations for the affirmative imperative in Spanish, which differ based on the subject and the verb’s regularity or irregularity. Below, we explain the conjugations for regular verbs in the affirmative imperative form.

Regular Verbs: -AR, -ER, and -IR

For regular verbs, the affirmative imperative is formed by conjugating the verb in the present subjunctive mood. The conjugation for each verb ending is as follows:

• -AR verbs: Drop the -AR and add -a (tú), -ad (vosotros/vosotras), -e (usted), -emos (nosotros/nosotras), and -en (ustedes).
• -ER verbs: Drop the -ER and add -e (tú), -ed (vosotros/vosotras), -a (usted), -amos (nosotros/nosotras), and -an (ustedes).
• -IR verbs: Drop the -IR and add -e (tú), -id (vosotros/vosotras), -a (usted), -amos (nosotros/nosotras), and -an (ustedes).

Examples

Verb	Tú	Vosotros/Vosotras	Usted	Nosotros/Nosotras	Ustedes
Hablar (to speak)	Habla	Hablad	Hable	Hablemos	Hablen
Comer (to eat)	Come	Comed	Coma	Comamos	Coman
Vivir (to live)	Vive	Vivid	Viva	Vivamos	Vivan

Irregular Verbs

Some verbs have irregular conjugations in the imperative mood. Here are the most common irregular verbs:

Verb	Tú	Vosotros/Vosotras	Usted	Nosotros/Nosotras	Ustedes
Ser (to be)	Sé	Sed	Sea	Seamos	Sean
Ir (to go)	Ve	Id	Vaya	Vayamos	Vayan
Dar (to give)	Da	Dad	Dé	Demos	Den
Estar (to be)	Está	Estad	Esté	Estemos	Estén
Saber (to know)	Sabe	Sabed	Sepa	Sepamos	Sepan

Negative Imperative Forms

To form the negative imperative, use the present subjunctive conjugation of the verb, preceded by the word «no.» The conjugation rules are the same as the affirmative imperative.

Examples

Verb	Tú	Vosotros/Vosotras	Usted	Nosotros/Nosotras	Ustedes
Hablar (to speak)	No hables	No habléis	No hable	No hablemos	No hablen
Comer (to eat)	No comas	No comáis	No coma	No comamos	No coman
Vivir (to live)	No vivas	No viváis	No viva	No vivamos	No vivan

Using the Imperative with Object Pronouns

When using the imperative with direct and indirect object pronouns, attach the pronoun to the end of the affirmative imperative verb. For negative imperatives, place the pronoun before the verb.

Examples

• Affirmative: «Dime la verdad» (Tell me the truth).
• Negative: «No me digas la verdad» (Don’t tell me the truth).

Final Thoughts

Mastering the Spanish Imperative is crucial for effective communication, as it allows you to give commands, make requests, and offer advice. By understanding the rules and conjugations for regular and irregular verbs in both affirmative and negative forms, you’ll be well on your way to speaking more authentically and fluently in Spanish. Remember to practice these concepts regularly and apply them in real-life situations to cement your knowledge and make the imperative a natural part of your Spanish language repertoire.