Positive Imperative
Spanish: AQA GCSE (2025 Exam), topic 4.1.16
Imperative
The imperative has four forms: Tú, Usted, Vosotros/as, Ustedes. The 'tú' and 'vosotros/as forms are used informal. The informal terms come across as friendlier and often don't have exclamation marks.
AR verbs
- The 'tú' form is the same as the 'él/ella' form of the present tense.
- The 'vosotros' form is formed by taking the infinitive, removing the 'r' and adding a 'd'.
- The formal forms come from the present subjuntive.
- Habla - singular informal (tú).
- Hablad - plural informal (vosotros/as).
- Hable - singular formal (usted).
- 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 formed by taking the infinitive, removing the 'r' and adding a 'd'.
- The formal forms come from the present subjuntive.
- Recibe - singular informal (tú).
- Recibed - plural informal (vosotros/as).
- Reciba - singular formal (usted).
- Reciban - plural formal (ustedes).
IR verbs
- The 'tú' form is the same as the 'él/ella' form of the present tense.
- The 'vosotros' form is formed by taking the infinitive, removing the 'r' and adding a 'd'.
- The formal forms come from the present subjuntive.
- Pide - singular informal (tú).
- Pedid - plural informal (vosotros/as).
- Pida - singular formal (usted).
- Pidan - plural formal (ustedes).
Let's
- You use the 'nosotros/as' form of the imperative to say 'let or let's do something'.
- It is exactly the same as the 'nosotros' form of the present subjunctive for er, ar and ir verbs.
- E.g. Compremos las entradas para el cine.
- Let's buy tickets for the cinema.
Test yourself on Positive Imperative
What is the vosotros form of 'decir' in the imperative?
What is the ustedes form of 'decidir' in the imperative?