The ImperativeFormal Commands in Spanish

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Commands in English…Commands in English…

… are pretty easy. You just use a base verb form (without a subject, since it’s always “you”) to tell people what they should do:– Stand up!– Sit down!– Do your homework!– Take out the garbage!– Be quiet!

Commands in English…Commands in English…

… and what they shouldn’t do:– Don’t write in your

books!– Don’t speak English

in Spanish class!– Don’t be silly!

Commands in Spanish…Commands in Spanish…

… are little more complicated because we have so many ways of saying “you”:– Tú: informal, singular– Vosotros: informal, plural– Ud.: formal, singular– Uds.: formal, plural

However, we will concentrate on the formal commands only.

Let’s look at a few examples!Let’s look at a few examples!

Hable despacio, por favor.

¡Repita, por favor.!

Siéntese Ud. aquí.

Entreguen Uds. la tarea.

Hagan el ejercicio B.

No hagan el ejercicio A.

¡No se levante Ud.!

¡No corran en la clase!

Regular Formal commands (affirmative AND negative)

1. Start with the form of the verb

2. Drop the

3. Then put on the

yo

(Ud./Uds./Nosotros)

O.

opposite personal ending.

Formal Commands (+/-)

-ar verbs -er/-ir verbs

Ud.

Nosotros

Uds.

E A

EMOS

EN

AMOS

AN

habl

habl

habl

corr

corr

corr

Let’s try a couple!Let’s try a couple!

Comer: ¡______ Ud.!¡Coma Ud.!Escribir: ¡_____ Ud.!¡Escriba Ud.!Tomar: ¡_____ Ud.!¡Tome Ud.!Entregar: ¡_____ la tarea!– ¡Entregue la tarea!– Note the spelling change

because of the final –g sound.

Uds…Uds…

Entreguen Uds. la tarea.

Right! Just add an –N to the command form when you are talking to more than one person.

Let’s try a couple more!Let’s try a couple more!

Comer: ¡______ Uds.!¡Coman Uds.!Escribir: ¡_____ Uds.!¡Escriban Uds.!Tomar: ¡_____ Uds.!¡Tomen Uds.!Comenzar: ¡_____ el examen!– ¡Comiencen el examen!– Note the spelling change

because of the final –z.

-car, -gar, -zar verbs

Verbs that end in –car will have a spelling change in which the changes to

Verbs that end in –gar will have a spelling change in which the changes to

Verbs that end in –zar will have a spelling change in which the changes to

C QU

G GU

Z C

Práctica

¡Salgan!¡Salgan!

¡Apague!

¡Empiecen!

¡Cantemos!

¡Comamos!

¡No escriban!

¡No ponga!

¡No hablemos!

¡No jueguen!

Commands in Spanish…Commands in Spanish…

For this lesson will concentrate on the formal commands only.

-- Ud.: formal, singular

-- Uds.: formal, plural

HOW DO WE FORM COMMANDS Regular Formal commands (affirmative AND

negative)

1. Start with the form of the verb

2. Drop the

3. Then put on the

yo

(Ud./Uds./Nosotros)

O.

opposite personal ending.

Formal Commands (+/-)

-ar verbs -er/-ir verbs

Ud.

Uds.

E A

EN AN

habl

habl

corr

corr

“IR” Stem-changers (O-UE Verbs)

DORMIR MORIR

Ud. (no) duerma Ud (no) muera

Uds. (no) duerman Uds (no) mueran

Some irregularsSome irregulars

What would a lesson be without a few irregulars to make it interesting?? Can you guess where these forms come from?– Haga la tarea.– Tenga paciencia.– Salga ahora.– Vuelva a casa.– Piense bien.– ¡Sé bueno!– ¡Esté tranquila!

¿Qué pasa?¿Qué pasa?

Haga la tarea.– (TO DO) Hacer > yo hago > -o + -a

Tenga paciencia.– (TO HAVE) Tener > yo tengo > -o + -a

Salga ahora.– (TO GO OUT) Salir > yo salgo > - o + -a

Vuelva a casa.- (TO RETURN) Volver > yo vuelvo > -o + -a

Piense bien.– (TO THINK) Pensar > yo pienso > -o + -e

These verbs follow the same formula: start with the yo form, drop the –o, and add the opposite vowel.

*These verbs are only irregular in the “yo” form of the present tense.*

Sé, esté, dé, sepa, vayaSé, esté, dé, sepa, vaya

These five verbs are very irregular for a good reason:– TO BE: Ser > yo soy – sea(n)– TO BE: Estar > yo estoy -este(n)– TO GIVE: Dar > yo doy -de(n)– TO KNOW: Saber > yo sé -

sepa(n)– TO GO: Ir > yo voy -vaya (n)

The yo form does not end in an –o, so there is no –o to drop when forming the command form.

¡Terminemos por ahora!¡Terminemos por ahora!

That’s all for now, but learn this concept well – the command form will be very important when we learn about our last verb form this semester – the subjunctive.

PRACTICE1. Buy the book. (comprar) __________ Ud. el libro.

2. Bring the food. (traer) __________ Uds. la comida.

3. Don't cry so much. (llorar)No  ___________ Ud. tanto.

4. Don't smoke here, please. (fumar)No  ___________ Uds. aquí, por favor.

5. Read the book. (leer) Ud. __________el libro.

6. Go with her. (ir) _____________Uds. con ella.

.

 

7. Dial the number. (marcar) _____________ Ud. el número.

8. Don't sleep. (dormir)No ___________  Uds.

9. Stir the rice. (agitar)__________ Ud. el arroz.

10. Listen, please. (oír) ___________ Ud., por favor.

11. Turn left. (doblar) ___________Ud. a la izquierda.

12. Open your books. (abrir) ____________Uds. sus libros.

.