Commands Review Part I

Commands are used when ordering, or telling someone to do something. This is often referred
to as the “imperative” form of the verb. Spanish has both formal and an informal commands.

The formal commands (both affirmative and negative) use the present subjunctive verb form:
hablar
hable Ud.
no hablen Uds.

comer
no coma Ud.
coman Uds.

decir
diga Ud.
no digan Uds.

As with the present subjunctive, the following verbs are irregular:

(dar) dé, den
(estar) esté, estén
(ir) vaya, vayan
(ser) sea, sean
(saber) sepa, sepan

The affirmative informal (tú) commands use the present indicative Ud. form:
Cuenta tus beneficios.
Count your blessings.

Habla más lentamente.

Speak more slowly.

The negative informal (tú) commands use the present subjunctive.

No cuentes tus beneficios.
Don’t count your blessings.

No hables más lentamente.

Don’t speak more slowly.

The following eight verbs have irregular familiar commands in the affirmative:
decir ........................ di
salir .......................... sal
hacer ....................... haz
ser ........................... sé
ir .............................. ve
tener ........................ ten
poner ....................... pon
venir ........................ ven

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With all affirmative commands, the object pronouns are attached directly to the end of
the imperative form of the verb.
Compre Ud. el anillo.
Buy the ring.

Cómprelo Ud.
Buy it.

If both direct and indirect object pronouns are attached, the indirect object pronoun
comes before the direct object pronoun.
Cómprelo Ud.
Buy it.

Cómpremelo Ud.
Buy it for me.

Note that in order to maintain the original stress of the verb, a written accent is often
needed. If the command has more than one syllable, a written accent is required when
one or more pronoun is added.
Command: compre (two syllables)

cómprelos
cómpremelos

If the command has only one syllable, a written accent is only necessary when two
pronouns are added.
Command: haz (one syllable)

hazlo (one pronoun, no accent required)

házmelo (two pronouns, accent is required)

With all negative commands, the object pronouns come before the imperative form of the verb.
No compre Ud. el anillo.
Don’t buy the ring.

No lo compre.
Don’t buy it.

If there are both direct and indirect object pronouns, the indirect object pronoun comes
before the direct object pronoun.
No me lo compre.
Don’t buy it for me.

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