Imperatives

What are imperatives?

Command words

How do you form positive commands?

ER verbs:

• (Tu) Chante*- sing

• (Nous) Chantons- let us sing

• (Vous) Chantez- sing

*the ‘s’ is taken away in the tu form

IR/ RE/ IRREGULAR VERBS:

Use present tense of tu, nous, vous

Give the imperative for écouter (tu)

écoute

Give the imperative for choisir (vous)

choisissez

Give the imperative for répondre (nous)

répondons

Give the imperative for finir (tu)

finis

Translate- Listen and do your work (tu)

éoute et fais ton travail

Translate- Let us take the train (nous)

Prenons le train

Translate- Answer this question (vous)

Répondez à cette question

Translate- Speak clearly (vous)

Parlez clairemont

What are the exceptions?

• Aller- va*, allons, allez (go, let us go,go)

• Être- sois, soyons, soyez (be, let us be, be)= subkunctive

• Avoir- aie*, ayons, ayez (have, let us have, have)= subjunctive

• Savoir- sache*, sachons, sachez (know, let us know, know)= subjunctive

How do reflexives work with imperatives?

Pronouns go after

• Lave- toi= wash

• Lavons-nous= let us wash

• Lavez-vous= wash

te= toi when imperative

Give the imperative for se laver (tu)

lave-toi

Give the imperative for aller (tu)

va

Give the imperative for être (vous)

soyez

Give the imperative for avoir (tu)

aie

Give the imperative for savoir (nous)

sachons

Translate- Be patient (tu)

Aie de la patience

Translate- Have patience and work hard (vous)

Ayez de la patience et travaillez dur

Translate- Get up and go to the station (tu)

Leve-toi, va à la gare

Translate- Let us have patience and let us be careful (nous)

Ayons de la patience et soyons prudents

How do you form negative imperatives?

Place ne/n’ before verb and pas after

Where does the reflexive go on the negative imperative?

After the ne

• Ne te couche pas- Do not go to bed

• Ne nous couchons pas- Let us not go to bed

• Ne vous couchez pas- Do not go to bed

Give the negative imperative for se réveiller (tu)

ne te réveille pas

Give the negative imperative for avoir peur (vous)

n’ayez pas peur

Give the negative imperative for être en retard (nous)

ne soyons pas en retard

Give the negative imperative for aller à Paris (tu)

Ne va pas à Paris

Translate- Do not hurry up (tu)

Ne te dépêche pas

Translate- Let us not be impatient (nous)

N’ayons pas de l’impatience

Translate- Do not be afraid (vous)

N’ayez pas peur

Translate- Do not go there and do not be silly (tu)

Ne vas pas là et ne sois pas drôle/fou

OR

N’y va pas…

Translate- Do not wake up too late (vous)

Ne vous lévez pas trop tard

What happens if there is more than 1 pronoun?

Order is:

Verb- DO- IO- y/en

• Donnez-la-nous= give it to us

• Prête-les-moi= lend them to me

• Donne-m’en= give me some of it

Translate- Don’t say it to him, say it to me (tu)

Ne le lui pas, dis-le-moi