The Imperative: Giving Commands and Instructions
The imperative is the verb form used to give commands, instructions and advice: turn off the light, take the second street on the left, don't be late. GCSE Spanish needs the tú and usted (singular) forms for both affirmative and negative commands, plus recognition of vosotros/ustedes plural forms in instructions such as recipes, directions and public signs. Regular affirmative tú commands are formed by dropping the -s from the present tense tú form (hablas -> habla), but a group of very common verbs is irregular (ser -> sé, ir -> ve, tener -> ten, poner -> pon, hacer -> haz, salir -> sal, venir -> ven, decir -> di). Negative commands use the present subjunctive form for every person, which is why negative and affirmative tú commands often look completely different (habla versus no hables). Object and reflexive pronouns attach to the end of affirmative commands but move in front of negative commands, which also changes where the stress falls and whether a written accent is needed.
Before you start
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Method
- For a regular affirmative tú command, take the present tense tú form and drop the final -s: hablas -> habla, comes -> come, escribes -> escribe.
- Learn the eight irregular affirmative tú commands as a fixed list: ser -> sé, ir -> ve, tener -> ten, poner -> pon, hacer -> haz, salir -> sal, venir -> ven, decir -> di.
- For every negative command (tú, usted, vosotros, ustedes), use the present subjunctive form of the verb instead: no hables, no coma, no salgáis, no vengan - this is why 'don't speak' (no hables) does not simply add no to the affirmative command form (habla).
- For usted (formal singular) commands, both affirmative and negative use the present subjunctive form: hable usted, no hable usted, coma, no coma.
- Attach object and reflexive pronouns to the end of an affirmative command, joining them into one word, and add a written accent if the stress would otherwise move: habla + le -> háblale; levanta + te -> levántate.
- Place object and reflexive pronouns before a negative command, as a separate word, with no attached accent needed: No le hables; No te levantes.
- Recognise vosotros affirmative commands, which change the infinitive's final -r to -d (hablad, comed, salid, with reflexive verbs dropping the -d before os: levantad + os -> levantaos), even though most GCSE speaking/writing tasks only require tú and usted.
Worked example
Give the tú command, both affirmative and negative, for: (1) hacer los deberes ahora. (2) levantarse tarde.
- For (1), hacer is one of the eight irregular affirmative tú commands, giving haz: Haz los deberes ahora.
- The negative command uses the present subjunctive of hacer for tú, which is hagas, with no placed before it: No hagas los deberes ahora.
- For (2), levantarse is reflexive; the affirmative tú command of levantar is levanta, and the reflexive pronoun te attaches to the end, adding a written accent because the stress moves back a syllable: levántate.
- The negative command uses the present subjunctive levantes, with the reflexive pronoun te placed before it, not attached: No te levantes tarde.
Practice questions
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Q1Give the affirmative tú command of 'poner' in 'poner la mesa'.Show answer
Answer: Pon (Pon la mesa).
Q2Give the negative tú command of 'hablar' in 'no hablar tan rápido'.Show answer
Answer: No hables (No hables tan rápido).
Q3Translate: 'Go to bed now!' (tú, reflexive acostarse).Show answer
Answer: ¡Acuéstate ahora!
Q4Give the affirmative usted command of 'comer' in 'comer las verduras'.Show answer
Answer: Coma (Coma las verduras, usted).
Q5Spot the error: 'No me lo dices.' (meant as a command, don't tell me)Show answer
Answer: It should be 'No me lo digas' - negative commands use the present subjunctive, not the present indicative dices.
Q6Translate: 'Give me the book, please' (tú, attaching the pronoun).Show answer
Answer: Dame el libro, por favor.
Exam-style questions
Written in the style of a GCSE Spanish exam paper, with a full mark scheme.
Translate this passage into English: Escucha con atención y no hables mientras el profesor explica la actividad. Pon tu móvil en la mochila y no lo saques hasta el final de la clase. Si tienes una pregunta, levanta la mano y espera tu turno.
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Translate into Spanish, using tú commands: 'Do your homework before dinner. Don't watch television all afternoon. Get up early tomorrow and don't be late for school.'
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See real GCSE Spanish past-paper questions, with official mark schemes →
Free printable worksheet
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