The Imperative

Spanish: AQA A Level, topic 16.17.1

Imperative

The imperative has five forms: Tú, Usted, Vosotros/as, Ustedes and nosotros. 'Tú' and 'vosotros/as' are informal and come across as friendlier. ‘Nosotros’ is used for ‘let’s do something’.

AR verbs

The 'tú' form is the same as the 'él/ella' form of the present tense.
The 'vosotros' form is made by removing the 'r' from the infinitive and adding a 'd'.
The formal forms and nosotros come from the present subjunctive.
Examples:
Habla - singular informal (tú).
Hablad - plural informal (vosotros/as).
Hable - singular formal (usted).
Hablemos - plural formal (nosotros).
Hablen - plural formal (ustedes).

ER verbs

The 'tú' form is the same as the 'él/ella' form of the present tense.
The 'vosotros' form is made by removing the 'r' from the infinitive and adding a 'd'.
The formal forms and nosotros come from the present subjunctive.
Examples:
Aprende - singular informal (tú).
Aprended - plural informal (vosotros/as).
Aprenda - singular formal (usted).
Aprendamos - plural formal (nosotros).
Aprendan - plural formal (ustedes).

IR verbs

The 'tú' form is the same as the 'él/ella' form of the present tense.
The 'vosotros' form is made by removing the 'r' the infinitive and adding a 'd'.
The formal forms and nosotros come from the present subjunctive.
Examples:
Vive - singular informal (tú).
Vivad - plural informal (vosotros/as).
Viva - singular formal (usted).
Vivamos - plural formal (nosotros).
Vivan - plural formal (ustedes).

Irregular IR verb example - Pedir

The 'tú' form is the same as the 'él/ella' form of the present tense.
The 'vosotros' form is made by removing the 'r' the infinitive and adding a 'd'.
The formal forms and nosotros come from the present subjunctive.
Pedir is an irregular verb. The él/ella form of the present tense is pide.
Examples:
Pide - singular informal (tú).
Pedid - plural informal (vosotros/as).
Pida - singular formal (usted).
Pidamos - plural formal (nosotros).
Pidan - plural formal (ustedes).