14.2 Grammar Guide: Spanish Familiar (tú) Commands

Rules and Usage for Familiar (tú) Commands

Familiar (tú) commands are employed when giving an order or providing advice to a person who is typically addressed using the informal tú form. This level of address is used in casual contexts or with people the speaker knows well.

Formation of Affirmative tú Commands

Affirmative tú commands generally share the same form as the usted/él/ella form of the present indicative. While the pronoun tú may be included, it is used exclusively for the purpose of emphasis or clarification.

Examples of Affirmative Command Usage

  • Paga al contado. — Pay in cash.

  • Pide un préstamo. — Ask for a loan.

  • ¡Busca en el móvil! — Look for it on the cell phone!

Regular Affirmative Command Morphology

The following table illustrates the transition from the infinitive through the present indicative to the affirmative command form:

  • cuidar | Ud./él/ella cuida | cuida (tú)

  • tocar | Ud./él/ella toca | toca (tú)

  • temer | Ud./él/ella teme | teme (tú)

  • volver | Ud./él/ella vuelve | vuelve (tú)

  • insistir | Ud./él/ella insiste | insiste (tú)

  • pedir | Ud./él/ella pide | pide (tú)

Irregular Affirmative tú Commands

There are exactly 88 verbs that possess irregular forms in the affirmative tú command. These must be memorized individually:

  1. decir → di

  2. hacer → haz

  3. ir → ve

  4. poner → pon

  5. salir → sal

  6. ser → sé

  7. tener → ten

  8. venir → ven

Practical Applications of Irregular Affirmative Commands

  • Haz los ejercicios. — Do the exercises.

  • ¡Sal de aquí ahora mismo! — Leave here at once!

  • ¡Ten cuidado con el perro! — Be careful with the dog!

  • Tú, ve por los chocolates. — You, go get the chocolates.

Distinction Between ir and ver in Affirmative Commands

The verbs ir (to go) and ver (to see/watch) share the identical tú command form: ve. Because the commands are phonologically and orthographically the same, context is the primary factor required to determine the intended meaning.

  • Example as ir: Ve al supermercado con José. (Go to the supermarket with José.)

  • Example as ver: Ve ese programa… es muy interesante. (Watch that program… it's very interesting.)

Formation of Negative tú Commands

Negative tú commands are constructed using the same form as the tú form of the present subjunctive.

Stem Changes in Negative Commands

Negative familiar commands maintain the same stem changes that occur in the present indicative.

  • No pierdas el mapa. — Don't lose the map. (Stem change e:ie)

  • No vuelvas a esa gasolinera. — Don't go back to that gas station. (Stem change o:ue)

Regular Negative Command Morphology

The following reflects the relationship between the present subjunctive and the resulting negative command:

  • cuidar | que tú cuides | no cuides (tú)

  • tocar | que tú toques | no toques (tú)

  • temer | que tú temas | no temas (tú)

  • volver | que tú vuelvas | no vuelvas (tú)

  • insistir | que tú insistas | no insistas (tú)

  • pedir | que tú pidas | no pidas (tú)

Spelling Changes in Negative tú Commands

Verbs ending in -car, -gar, and -zar undergo internal spelling changes in their negative tú command forms to preserve the phonetic sound of the root:

  • c → qu: sacar → no saques

  • g → gu: apagar → no apagues

  • z → c: almorzar → no almuerces

Categorized Examples of Negative Commands

  • Carlos, no eches eso al buzón. — Carlos, don't put that in the mailbox.

  • Julia, no cruces la calle. — Julia, don't cross the street.

Irregular Negative tú Commands

Certain verbs do not follow standard subjunctive patterns for negative commands. These irregular forms include:

  • dar → no des

  • estar → no estés

  • ir → no vayas

  • saber → no sepas

  • ser → no seas

Placement of Reflexive and Object Pronouns

The positioning of reflexive and object pronouns in familiar tú commands adheres to the same rules established for formal commands. Their placement depends entirely on whether the command is affirmative or negative.

Affirmative Commands

Pronouns are attached directly to the end of the verb. If the command consists of more than 22 syllables after the pronoun is attached, a written accent must be added to maintain the original stress of the verb.

  • ¡Alégrate! — Be happy! (Formed from alegrarse)

  • Dime. — Tell me.

  • Dígame. — Tell me (Formal comparison).

  • ¡Alégrese! — Be happy! (Formal comparison).

Negative Commands

In negative commands, pronouns are never attached to the verb. Instead, they are placed after the word "no" and before the verb.

  • No te sientas triste. — Don't feel sad.

  • No me lo digas. — Don't tell me (it).

  • No se sienta triste. — Don't feel sad (Formal comparison).

  • No me lo diga. — Don't tell me (it) (Formal comparison).