Imperativo
The Spanish Imperative Tense
Commands, instructions, and requests
The Spanish imperative mood (el imperativo) is used for commands, instructions, and direct requests. It has distinct forms for tú (informal singular), usted (formal singular), nosotros (we), vosotros (informal plural, Spain), and ustedes (formal/informal plural).
Positive tú commands are often the same as the third-person singular present. But negative commands (no hables) use the subjunctive forms for all persons.
The imperative is essential for practical Spanish — giving directions, following recipes, understanding instructions, and making requests in social situations.
When to use the Imperative tense
- Direct commands: ¡Habla más despacio! (Speak more slowly!)
- Instructions and recipes: Añade la sal y mezcla bien.
- Giving directions: Gira a la derecha y sigue recto.
- Encouragement: ¡Sigue adelante! / ¡Vamos!
- Polite requests (with por favor): Pasa por favor. / Siéntate, por favor.
How to form the Imperative tense
-AR verbs
| Pronoun | Ending |
|---|---|
| yo | — |
| tú | habla |
| él/ella | hable |
| nosotros | hablemos |
| vosotros | hablad |
| ellos/ellas | hablen |
-ER verbs
| Pronoun | Ending |
|---|---|
| yo | — |
| tú | come |
| él/ella | coma |
| nosotros | comamos |
| vosotros | comed |
| ellos/ellas | coman |
-IR verbs
| Pronoun | Ending |
|---|---|
| yo | — |
| tú | vive |
| él/ella | viva |
| nosotros | vivamos |
| vosotros | vivid |
| ellos/ellas | vivan |
Positive tú commands = the él/ella present form (habla, come, vive). Positive vosotros = replace final -r of infinitive with -d. All other positive forms and ALL negative commands use the present subjunctive. Common irregular tú commands: di (decir), haz (hacer), ve (ir/ver), pon (poner), sal (salir), sé (ser), ten (tener), ven (venir).
Common time signals
- ahora
- ya
- en seguida
- inmediatamente
- por favor
- ¡venga!
- ¡vamos!
Top 20 verbs in the Imperative tense
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Frequently asked questions
- How do you form the positive tú command in Spanish?
- For most verbs, use the third-person singular (él/ella) present indicative form: habla, come, vive. Irregular tú commands must be memorised: di (decir), haz (hacer), ve (ir), pon (poner), sal (salir), sé (ser), ten (tener), ven (venir).
- How do you form negative commands in Spanish?
- All negative commands use the present subjunctive with no: no hables (tú), no hable (usted), no hablemos (nosotros), no habléis (vosotros), no hablen (ustedes). This applies to regular and irregular verbs.
- What is the difference between tú and usted commands?
- Tú commands are used with people you address informally (friends, family, children). Usted commands use the subjunctive form and are used in formal situations (with strangers, authority figures, or elders in many regions). In Latin America, ustedes replaces vosotros.
- Where do pronouns go with imperative verbs?
- With positive commands, pronouns attach to the end: dímelo (tell it to me), cómetelo (eat it). With negative commands, pronouns go before the verb: no me lo digas, no te lo comas. Accent marks are added as needed to maintain stress.
- What is the nosotros imperative used for?
- The nosotros imperative means "let's + verb": hablemos (let's talk), comamos (let's eat), vayamos (let's go). In everyday speech, vamos a + infinitive is often preferred: vamos a hablar.