Commands
(Can be called imperative, mandados or commands)

Informal Commands

Given to people you would address as tú

If affirmative, use the 3rd person singular (Ud.) in the present tense and IR-ER verbs remains -e and AR verbs remains -a    
Nora, come (comer) temprano.

If negative, the negative form is the same as used in the FORMAL command where the ER-IR changes to -a and the AR changes to -e and you just add -s.
Nora, no comas (comer) temprano.
                                              
In summary, with the exception of the  affirmative tú commands, all commands use the subjunctive forms.

	Formal Usted (es)  Subjunctive	Informal Tú negative Subjunctive	Tú affirmative Present Indicative
hablar	hable(n)	no hables	habla
comer	coma(n)	no comas	come
escribir	escriba(n)	no escribas	escribe

Polite Commands - Giving Instructions -- a command you would make to a person you address in the Usted form.  Change -ar to -e and -er / -ir to -a

Lleve el paquete.  You(singular you) take the package. 
To give a polite command to more than one person, add -n.
No lleven el paquete.    Don’t you (plural you) take the package.

Object Pronouns or reflexive pronouns -- attach to the affirmative commands and precede the negatives. 

Tráigale cafe, por favor;  no traiga té.  Take coffee, please; don’t take tea.
Digame la verdad; no me diga que no la sabe. Tell me the truth; don’t tell me that you don’t know (it).
To give a polite command to more than one person, add  -n.

If a verb stem is irregular in the present tense, it usually has the same irregularity in the command form. yo pongo becomes ponga.
Venga(n) temprano, por favor.  Come early please.
Salga(n) inmediatamente.  Leave immediately.

Some common irregular commands based on the yo form:

(conocer) conozca	(decir)  diga	(hacer)  haga	(oír)  oiga
(tener) tenga	(traer) traiga	(ver)  vea

These don’t follow the yo form, first person singular:

dé (dar)

esté (estar)

sea (ser)

sepa (saber)

vaya  (ir)

Vowel changes in the stem show the same changes in the polite command forms

piense (pensar - ie)	duerma (dormir -ue)	sirva (servir -i)	cierre (cerrar -ie)
vuelva (volver -ue)	consiga (conseguir -i)

Impersonal Commands -- Use --  Quiere que, necesario que or importante que + subjunctive.  Es importante que coma temprano. It is important that you eat early.
Quiero que escribamos una lista.    Quiere que recojamas pronto.

Cuando when it refers to the  future - use subjunctive  (ar to -e and er/ir to -a)
El va a hacen las reservaciones cuando hable con los.....
Cuando when it refers to habitual action uses the PRESENT tense (Mis primas siempre van a la costa cuando viajan.

Commands almost always use the subjunctive....Ar to -e and ER/IR - a

Infinitive	Present Subjunctive
hablar	hable	hables	hable	hablemos	hablen
comer	coma	comas	coma	comamos	coman
escribir	escriba	escribas	escriba	escribamos	escriban

If you are not sure which to use, use the subjunctive.   Prefer, necessary, doubt, uncertainty, physical, emotional states use subjunctive.

If it is a realized fact that the action has taken place or will definitely happen, a certainty -- use Indicative (the present tense verb...Ar remains -ar,  ER/IR remains -e)

IMPERATIVO COMMAND:  In the Usted and Ustedes form, the subjunctive is used.  The following are in the imperative mood.

1. An indirect command or deep desire expressed in the 3rd person singular or plural (Ud. or Uds.) is subjunctive...Que introduces this kind of command.
   ¡Qué lo haga Jorge!  Let George do it.
2. In some indirect commands, Que is omitted.  ¡Viva el presidente!
3. The verb form of the affirmative singular familiar (tú) is the same as the 3rd person singular of the present indicative when expressing a command.  ¡Entra pronto! Come quickly!   ¡Sigue  leyendo!  Keep on reading.!
4. The following verb forms are irregular in the affirmative singular, imperative form.
            di (decir)            haz  (hacer)      he (haber)          pon (poner)
            sal (salir)           sé  (ser)             ten (tener)           val (valer)
            ve   (ver)             ven (venir)
5. In the affirmative command, lst personal plural, instead of using the present subjunctive command -Vamos a (Let’s or let us) + the infinitive may be used.
   Vamos a comer / let’s eat
   Vamos al cine / let’s go to the movies.

Soft Commands-- The Present Subjunctive following  Querer and  Cuando is used to talk about what one person wants another to do.
Quiere que abramos todas las maletas.    He wants us to open all of the suitcases.
When the action or state described in a clause that begins with  Cuando, refers to the future, the subjunctive form of the verb is also used. 
Pedro va a hacer las reservaciones cuando hable Andrea.  Pedro is going to make the reservations when he speaks with Andrea.)

If the action or state described in the  cuando clause refers to a habitual action, the present indicative is used.  Mis primos siempre van a la costa cuando viajan.

The form of the present subjunctive (commands) are the same as the Usted command forms plus the person-number endings.

Infinitive	Present Subjunctive
hablar	hable (hables, hable, hablemos, hablen)
comer	coma (comas, coma, comamos, coman)
escribir	escriba (escribas, escriba, escribamos, escriban)

1. If the possibility exists that the action has not, may not take place, use the SUBJUNCTIVE --  also, preference, necessity, doubt, uncertainty, physical, emotional. (The subjunctive is almost always found in the dependent clause, ie., ar to -e, ER and IR to -a)
    
2. If it is a realized fact that the action has taken place or definitely will take place, a certainty that it will take place, use the INDICATIVE, except in the negative.  i.e., the AR remains -a and the ER and IR retain the -e.  In the negative, it is just the opposite.

FIRST PERSON COMMAND (let’s)
In order to express the idea of  LET’S, the first person plural form of the subjunctive is used...

Nademos	Let’s swim
Comamos	Let’s eat
Salgamos pronto	Lets go now

The only exception is the IR (to go) verb which uses the indicative.  Vamos ahora.  Let’s go now.

INDIRECT COMMANDS  -- Let or have someone else do it.  Omit the initial verb of the softened command and start the sentence with Que...

¡Qué manejan con cuidad!  Drive with care.
¡Qué lo termine Carmen!  Have (or let) Carmen do it.
¡Qué tenga un buen viaje!  Have a good (safe) trip.
¡Qué duermen buen!  Sleep well

Direct Commands -- Ud. or tú (Familiar Commands)
Use the indicative form of the verb.

Apaga la luz, por favor.  Turn off the light, please.
Encende la luz, por favor.  Turn on the light, please
Abra la puerta, por favor.  Open the door, please
Camina hasta la puerta, por favor  Walk to the door, please

Note that the tú is usually omitted with the command form.

If you are not sure which form (subjunctive or indicative), use the subjunctive    

Present Indicative --	apagar	apaga	no apagas
	encender	enciende	no enciendas
	abrir	abre	no abras

Present Subjunctive--	cerrar	cierre	no cierren
	caminar	camine	no caminen
	abrir	abra	no abran

In summary, with the exception of the affirmative tú command, all commands use the subjunctive forms.

	Usted(es)   Subjunctive	Tú (negative) Subjunctive	Tú (Affirmative) Present Indicative
hablar	hable(n)	no hables	habla
comer	coma(n)	no comas	come
Escribir	escriba(n)	no escribas	scribe

Imperativo
Imperative or Command
(This is only a brief explanation)

An indirect command or deep desire expressed in the third person singular or plural is in the subjunctive mood.  We use  let or may in the English translation: Qué introduces this kind of command in Spanish.

¡Qué lo haga Jorge!	Let George do it!
¡Qué Dios  se lo pague!	May God reward you!
¡Qué vengan pronto!	Let them come quickly!
¡Qué entre Robereto!	Let Robert come in.
¡Qué salgan!	Let them leave!

In the affirmative command, lst person, plural, vamos  a (Let´s  or Let us) +  an infinitive may be used.

Vamos a comer.	Let's eat.
Vamos a cantar.	Let's sing.
Vamos al cine.	Let's go to the movies.

However if the negative (Let's not go) is used, the present subjunctive of ir must be used:
No vayamos el cine.  Let's not go to the movies.

Note: Vámanos means let´s go or let´s leave.

Object Pronouns (direct, indirect, or reflexive) with an imperative (command) verb form in the affirmative are attached to the verb form.

¡Hágalo (Ud.)!	Do it!
¡Díganoslo (Ud.)!	Tell it to us!
¡Levántate (Ud.)!	Get up!
¡Siéntese (Ud.)!	Sit down!
¡Démelo (Ud.)!	Give it to me!

Object Pronouns (direct, indirect, or reflexive) with an imperative (command) verb form in the negative  are placed in front of  the verb form.

¡No lo hága(Ud.)!	Don´t do it!
¡No nos lo diga (Ud.)!	Don´t tell it to us!
¡No me lo digas (tú)!	Don´t tell it to me!
¡No se siente (Ud.)!	Don´t get up!
¡No me lo dé (Ud.)!	Don´t give it to me!

Check this exercise in commands

                                                             
The following sentences are in both the positive and negative in the Usted (formal you) form.  Remember, when positive, the pronoun goes at the end; when negative, the pronoun goes in front, following the “no.”

1. Debe leer su libro (has direct object pronoun)
   Léalo .   (accent on the third vowel, always)
   No lo lea.

2. Debe hacer su tarea (homework is a female word)
   Hágala.
   No la haga.

3. Debe empaquilar. (no direct object pronoun)
   Empaquile.
   No empaquile.

4. No debe perder su pasaporte. (If there were a positive – it would be piérdalo)
   No lo pierda

5. Debe hacer reservaciones en el hotel.
   Hágalas.
   No las haga.

6. No debe ir al consulado (Vaya, if positive)
   No vaya.

7. Deber beber agua.
   Bébela.

8. No deben salir solos.  (Salgan if positive)
   No salgan.

9. Deben mandar postales.
   Mándenlas.
   No las manden.

10. Deben llegar a tiempo.
    Lleguen.
    No lleguen.

Hester Chamberlain
Learning Assistance Center
Eastfield College