Italian Imperative

3 main pronouns that use the imperative

- tu

- noi

- voi

Negative tu commands

non + infinitive form of verb

Ex: Non mangiare! = Don't eat!

Ex: Non dormire! = Don't sleep!

Negative noi/voi commands

non + conjugated present tense indicative form

Ex: Non parlate = Don't speak

Ex: Non entriamo = We're not entering

positive tu commands

- ends in "a" not "i" for regular -are verbs

- conjugated in lui/lei tense for -are verbs

- conjugated in normal tu form for -ere/-ire verbs

Ex: Parla = (you) speak

Ex: Maniga = (you) eat

Ex: capisci = (you) understand

Ex: Vieni = (you) come

Positive noi/voi commands

- use conjugated present tense indicative form

Ex: Andiamo = let's go!

Ex: Venite = (you all) come

Commands with pronouns

- usually you can just combine the properly formed command with the proper pronoun

Ex: parlagli = talk to him

Ex: vediamolo = let's see it

Ex: capiscimi = understand me

- for negative commands, you can do either

Essere commands

- tu sii

- voi siate

- noi siamo

avere commands

- tu abbi

- voi abbiate

- noi abbiamo

dare commands

- tu da' ???

- voi date

- noi diamo

fare commands

- tu fa' ???

- voi fate

- noi facciamo

andare commands

- tu va'

- voi andate

- noi andiamo

stare commands

- tu sta'

- voi stiate

- noi stiamo

dire commands

- tu di'

- voi dite

- noi diciamo

Present tense regular endings (commands)

-are

tu: a

voi: ate

noi: iamo

-ere

tu: i

voi: ete

noi: iamo

-ire

tu: i

voi: ite

noi: iamo

Indirect pronouns

- mi = to me

- ti = to you

- le/gli = to you (formal)/her, to him

- ci = to us

- vi = to you all

- gli = to them

Direct Pronouns

- mi = me

- ti = you

- lo/la = him, her, it

- ci = us

- vi = you all

- li/le = them (m), them (f)

formal imperative

use lui/lei form of verb

irregulars:

andare -> vada

dare -> dia

fare -> facia

dire -> dica

* negative commands are still conjugated