O imperative in spanish is a verbal mode that lends itself to various functions, including giving orders, advice, instructions etc. Spanish grammar approaches the imperative by dividing it into affirmative and negative forms. The affirmative has regular and irregular verbs, and the negative has no irregularities, as it is based on the conjugation of another verbal mode: the subjunctive. Issues such as formal and informal treatment and linguistic varieties of certain Spanish-speaking regions affect the conjugation of the imperative.
Read too: the conjunctions – words responsible for bringing articulation to the texts
Imperative Mode Functions
Imperativo is the name given to one of the three modes of the verbal system in the Spanish language, namely: indicative, subjunctive and imperative. Its best-known use is giving orders, but we may also use it for other purposes. Let's look at some examples of prayers where the imperative is used to
→ give advice and suggestions:
Go to Paris, visit the Rodin Museum.
(If you go to Paris, visit the Rodin Museum.)
→ ask for favors:
Please, open the window of the room.
(Please, open it the living room window.)
→ give orders:
deliver el inform before 11am.
(Deliver the report before 11:00.)
→ give instructions:
To get to the theater, double the right on Avenida de la República.
(To get to the theater, turn right on Avenida da República.)
→ to make invitations:
Ven con nosotros a mi casa de playa.
(Come with us to my beach house.)
→ to give permission:
Di What do you think about this situation.
(Tell me what you think about this situation.)
→ to catch someone's attention:
oye, do you know if there is any pharmacy around here?
(Listening, do you know if there is any pharmacy nearby?)
It is important to note that, in Spanish, the imperative does not generally denote lack of courtesy.. Even in formal situations, its use does not necessarily correspond to an abrupt treatment.
The imperative is divided into an affirmative and a negative form, with regular and irregular forms of conjugation. Let's see, below, the form affirmative.
Do not stop now... There's more after the advertising ;)
affirmative imperative
regular forms
A feature that stands out in the case of imperatives is that they do not have conjugation in first person singular - yo (me). After all, the imperative is the verbal mode with which one seeks to influence other people's behavior. However, it has a first-person plural conjugation – nosotros. This happens when the speaker adds himself to the group of listeners, often to achieve a specific goal.
As we will see below, the specific forms of the affirmative imperative are you and you, that is, the second singular and plural persons. For usted and usted, the third singular and plural persons, are used the same present subjunctive forms. Remember that the second person in Spanish is used for interactions in informal situations, and the third person is used in formal situations.
We will use, in the table below, the verbs hablar, eat and scribe to illustrate the regular endings of the affirmative imperative in the three conjugations:
HABLAR (speak) |
Eat eat) |
WRITE (write) |
||||
you |
hab- |
The |
with- |
and |
scribe |
and |
usted |
hab- |
and |
with- |
The |
scribe |
The |
nosotros |
hab- |
emos |
with- |
loves |
scribe |
loves |
you |
hab- |
ad |
with- |
ed |
scribe |
id |
usted |
hab- |
en |
with- |
an |
scribe |
an |
Check out some examples of verbs in the affirmative imperative:
Peter, carry the plates and cubes at the table.
(Peter, Light the plates and cutlery for the table.)Lucia, please watch a moment a los children.
(Lucia, please, watch for a moment the kids.)pass, pass, señor director. We were waiting for him.
(In between, Mr. Director. We were waiting.)Señores pasajeros, abrochenian the belts and pong the backrest in vertical position.
(Passengers, squeeze your belts and put your seat in an upright position.)
See too: the accent – rules and peculiarities of accent in Spanish
irregular shapes
There are few verbs with irregular forms in the affirmative imperative in Spanish. As the use of these verbs is quite frequent, it is easy to remember what they are. THE irregularity affects only the person you, all others remain regular. These verbs are:
DECIDE (say) |
HACER (do) |
IR (go) |
OÍR (listen) |
PONER (put) |
EXIT (exit) |
TENER (have) |
COME (come) |
TO BE (to be) |
di |
haz |
see |
oy |
pon |
salt |
have |
come |
see |
Let's look at some examples of uses of the irregular forms of the imperative:
Di the name of the different valves of the heart.
(Say it the name of the different valves of the heart.)haz a list of all the materials you can look at.
(Make a list of all the materials you can look at.)Please, see to buy the periodical.
(Please, go buy the newspaper.)oye, I have a problem, see if you can help me...
(Listening, I have a little problem, see if you can help me...)Pon a candle inside the can and enciéndela.
(put a candle inside the can and light it.)Get out of here now! Salt!
(Go Get away from here right now! Get out!)ten be careful not to cut.
(You have be careful not to cut yourself.)Ven with nosotros, there is plenty of site.
(Come with us, there's plenty of room.)see original in the final presentation of the project.
(It is original in the final presentation of the project.)
negative imperative
The forms of the negative imperative in Spanish coincide with those of the subjunctive present. Let's see, in the table below, how they are conjugated. Let's use the same verbs that exemplified the affirmative imperative.
HABLAR (speak) |
Eat eat) |
WRITE (write) |
||||
you |
on the phone |
are you |
not with- |
at |
at the clerk |
at |
usted |
on the phone |
and |
not with- |
The |
at the clerk |
The |
nosotros |
on the phone |
emos |
not with- |
loves |
at the clerk |
loves |
you |
on the phone |
you are |
not with- |
there |
at the clerk |
there |
usted |
on the phone |
en |
not with- |
an |
at the clerk |
an |
Let's look at some examples of clauses that use verbs in the negative imperative:
no support the shoes on the sofa.
(do not support the shoes on the sofa.)no seas discourtés con quien te habla.
(Do not be impolite to whoever is talking to you.)in the canten bad, ya es enough.
(don't sing more, it's enough.)in tomes el primer taxi that appears.
(Do not take the first taxi that appears.)
Also access: preposition – word that creates syntactic links with others
Special imperative cases in Spanish
We saw earlier that the third person verb is used in situations of formal interaction, while the second person marks informality. Nonetheless, in some regions of the Hispanic world, specifically in southern Spain and Hispanic America, is not used you. In your place, use the third person plural –usted – to address a group of people in both formal and informal registration. Let's look at these examples:
chicos, don't pierce el grand concert this night.
(boys, do not lose the big show tonight.)Senior customers, understand your early entries from morning.
(Customers, buy your advance tickets starting tomorrow.)
Another special case involving imperatives is the phenomenon called voodoo. In some Spanish-speaking regions, the personal pronoun is not used. you to refer to a second person singular. Instead, the pronoun is used you. This affects the conjugation of verbs in the affirmative imperative in that verb person. Check, in this table, a comparison between the conjugations of you and you:
HABLAR (speak) |
Eat eat) |
WRITE (write) |
||||
you |
hab- |
The |
with- |
and |
scribe |
and |
you |
hab- |
á |
with- |
é |
scribe |
í |
See some examples of clauses with the pronoun imperative you:
study español, it's fun.
(Study Spanish, it's fun.)Eats space, to enjoy the food.
(Eat slowly, to enjoy your food.)opened la ventana if you want, yo in the cold tengo.
(Open the window if you like, I'm not cold.)
solved exercises
Question 1 - (UECE-CEV – 2011) According to the indication in parentheses of the verbal form in bold, the correct option is:
The) seethe house – (verb IR).
b) Pepe, dime something – (verb GIVE).
ç) salt as puedas – (verb SALAR).
d) Ven por la escalera – (verb VER).
Resolution:
Alternative A. veto is imperative of the verb go. Dime, salt and come are imperatives of verbs decide, leave and come, respectively.
Question2 - (Funcab – 2014). After reading the message, he answers:
The function of the verbs that appear in the cartel is:
a) persuade
b) give advice
c) order
d) express desires
e) express hypotheses
Resolution:
Alternative B. Among the functions listed in the question, the only ones referring to the imperative mode are give advice and order. In the case of the poster, this is advice.
By Diego Guimarães Gontijo
Spanish teacher
