The Imperative

Question 1

What is the imperative used for?

Answer 1

The imperative (or command) form of a verb is used to give instructions, to make requests, to make suggestions, or to give orders.

The regular imperative forms are easy to learn, since they are based on the present tense. French has three imperative forms, corresponding to the person or persons being addressed.

•tu (second-person familiar, singular)
•vous (second-person polite, both singular and plural, and familiar
plural)
•nous (first-person plural, includes the group the speaker belongs to)

Imperative forms do not use subject pronouns.

Question 2

Imperative
Parler (to speak)
Tu, vous, nous

Answer 2

Present tense -> Imperative
Tu parles= Parle! (Speak!)
Vous parlez= Parlez! (Speak!)
Nous parlons= Parlons! (Let’s speak!)

*S’il vous plaît, parlez plus lentement. (Please speak more slowly)

Question 3

Imperative
Écouter (To listen to)
Tu, vous, nous

Answer 3

Present tense -> Imperative
Tu écoutes=Écoute! (Listen!)
Vous écoutez=Écoutez! (Listen!)
Nous écoutons= Écoutons! (Let’s listen!)

*Nous avons le temps; écoutons cette chanson. (We have time; let’s listen to this song)

Question 4

The imperative of -ir verbs

Answer 4

The letter combination -iss- occurs in the nous and vous endings of regular -ir imperatives, just as it does in the present tense conjugation.

Question 5

Imperative
Choisir (to choose)
Tu, vous, nous

Answer 5

Present->Imperative
Tu choisis=choisis! (Choose!)
Vous choisissez=choisissez! (Choose!)
Nous choisissons=choisissons! (Let’s choose!)

*Choisissons un film pour ce soir (Let’s choose a movie for this evening)

Question 6

Imperative
Finir (to finish)
Tu, vous, nous

Answer 6

Present tense->imperative
Tu finis=finis! (Finish!)
Vous finissez=finissez! (Finish!)
Nous finissons=finissons! (Let’s finish!)

Finis tes légumes! (Finish you vegetables)

Question 7

The imperative of -re verbs

Answer 7

Note that the final -s in the tu form of the present tense also appears in the imperative of regular -re verbs. So all tu, vous, and nous are the same.

Question 8

Imperative
Attendre (to wait for)
Tu, vous, nous

Answer 8

Present tense->imperative
Tu attends=Attends! (Wait!)
Vous attendez=Attendez! (Wait!)
Nous attendons=Attendons! (Let’s wait!)

*Attends! J’arrive! (Wait! I’m coming!)

Question 9

Imperative
Descendre (to go down; to get off)
Tu, vous, nous

Answer 9

Tu descends=descends! (Come down!/Go down!/Get off!)
Vous descendez= Descendez! (Come down!/Go down!/Get off)
Nous descendons=Descendons! (Let’s go down/Let’s get off)

*Descendons à Odéon, d’accord? (Let’s get off at Odéon, OK?

Question 10

Imperative form irregular form, something to notice

Answer 10

The imperative forms of irregular verbs are usually identical to their present tense forms.

Also a verb in the imperative can also precede an infinitive.

Question 11

Irregular Imperative Verbs

Faire (to make; to do)

Answer 11

Tu= Fais…!
Vous=Faites…!
Nous= Faisons…!

• Faisons du jogging demain matin (Let’s go jogging tomorrow morning)
• Fase le ménage. Moi, je fais la cuisine. ([You] Clean up and I’ll cook.)

Question 12

Irregular Imperative Verbs

Aller (to go)

Answer 12

Tu=Va…!
Vous=Allez…!
Nous=Allons…!

• Allez chercher deux baguettes. (Go get two baguettes.)
• On sonne, va ouvrir! (Someone’s ringing; go open the door!)

Question 13

Irregular Imperative Verbs

Être

Answer 13

Tu es=Sois…!
Vous êtes=Soyez…!
Nous sommes=Soyons…!

• Sois calme, il n’y a pas de danger. (Stay calm, there’s no danger
• Soyez sages, les enfants! (Be good, children!)

Question 14

Irregular Imperative Verbs

Avoir (to have)

Answer 14

Tu as=Aie…!
Vous avez=Ayez…!
Nous avons=Ayons…!

*Ayez confiance en vos amis (Trust your friends.)

Question 15

Negative commands in imperative

Answer 15

In negative commands, ne/n’ comes before the imperative verb form and pas follows it

Question 16

Don’t buy (any) tobacco

Answer 16

N’achetez pas de tabac

Question 17

Don’t be ashamed

Answer 17

N’aie pas honte

Question 18

Let’s not make (any) noise

Answer 18

Ne faisons pas de bruit

Question 19

Don’t talk about these problems

Answer 19

Ne parlez pas de ces difficultés

Question 20

Don’t be afraid

Answer 20

N’ayez pas peur

Question 21

What can follow imperatives in a sentence?

Answer 21

As you have seen, the imperative (like other verbs), can be followed by adjec- tives, adverbs, direct object/indirect object nouns, prepositional phrases, and verb infinitives.
Adjective: Sois calme. (By [stay] calm.)
Adverb: Réfléchissez bien. (Think carefully)
Ne descends pas ici! (Don’t get off her!)

Direct object noun: Achète du beurre. (Buy [some] butter)
Indirect object noun: Répondons au professeur. (Let’s answer the teacher)

Prepositional phrase: Allons au cinéma! (Let’s go to the movies!)
Verb infinitive: Va faire le marché. (Go do the shopping)

Question 22

Polite or conversational ways to express commands?

Answer 22

There are more conversational or polite ways to express commands. They use verbs in the future, the conditional, and the subjunctive. For example:
Pourriez-vous me faire une réservation? (Could you make me a reservation?

Question 23

The imperative with an object pronoun in normal sentence and negative?

Answer 23

Direct object pronouns, indirect object pronouns, and the pronouns en and y are attached to affirmative commands by a hyphen. This is also true for reflexive pronouns (Chapter 12). However, in negative commands, the object pronouns precede the verb.

• Achète ces pommes! Achète-les! (Buy those apples! Buy them!)
• Ne les achète pas! (Don’t buy them!)
• Buvez de l’eau! Buvez-en! (Drink some water! Drink some!
• N’en buvez pas! (Don’t drink any)
• Allons au match! Allons-y! (Let’s go to the game! Let’s go there!)
• N’y allons pas! (Let’s not go there)

Question 24

What happens to me and te when followed by an affirmative command?

Answer 24

Me and te becomes moi and toi when they follow an affirmative command.

• Passe-moi le pain, s’il te plaît. (Pass me the bread, please)
• Non, ne me passe pas le pain. (No, do not pass me the bread)

Question 25

What happens to -er verbs or aller in th eimperative form when en or y is added?

Answer 25

The letter s (pronounced [z]) reappears when en or y is added to the imperative tu form of -er verbs or aller.

• Parle! (Ne parle pas!) (Speak!/Don’t speak!)
• Parles-en! (N’en parle pas!) (Talk about it!/ Do not talk about it!)
• Va au marché! (Ne va pas au marché!) (Go to the market!/Don’t go to the market!)
• Vas-y! (N’y va pas!) (Go there!/Do not go there!)