How to Give Commands in Spanish (The Imperative)

Commands in Spanish use the imperative mood — a special verb form separate from the present tense. The form you use depends on who you’re commanding and whether the command is positive or negative.

The short version: positive tú commands look like the third-person present; negative commands for all persons use the present subjunctive.

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Positive Tú Commands (Informal Singular)

For most verbs, the positive tú command is identical to the third-person present singular (él/ella form):

Infinitive	Present (él)	Tú command
hablar	habla	Habla más despacio. — Speak more slowly.
comer	come	Come todo. — Eat everything.
escribir	escribe	Escribe tu nombre. — Write your name.
volver	vuelve	Vuelve pronto. — Come back soon.

Eight Irregular Tú Commands

These eight verbs have irregular positive tú commands you need to memorize:

Verb	Command	Meaning
ser	sé	be
ir	ve	go
hacer	haz	do / make
tener	ten	have
venir	ven	come
poner	pon	put
salir	sal	leave / go out
decir	di	say / tell

Memory trick: SiD HaVeTePoS (each letter = first letter of the irregular command: Sé, ir→Ve, Di, Haz, Ven, Ten, Pon, Sal) — or just practice them until they’re automatic.

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Positive Usted Commands (Formal Singular)

Formal commands use the present subjunctive form. For regular verbs:

• -ar verbs: drop -o from yo present → add -e
• -er/-ir verbs: drop -o from yo present → add -a

Infinitive	Yo present	Usted command
hablar	hablo	Hable más despacio. — Speak more slowly.
comer	como	Coma todo. — Eat everything.
escribir	escribo	Escriba su nombre. — Write your name.
volver	vuelvo	Vuelva pronto. — Come back soon.

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Positive Nosotros Commands (Let’s…)

For “let’s do something,” use the first-person plural subjunctive (same as nosotros present subjunctive):

• Hablemos de eso. — Let’s talk about that.
• Comamos juntos. — Let’s eat together.
• Vamos al parque. (ir uses vamos as an exception) — Let’s go to the park.
• Salgamos ahora. — Let’s leave now.

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Negative Commands (All Persons)

All negative commands use the present subjunctive, for every person:

Person	Positive	Negative
tú	Habla. — Speak.	No hables. — Don’t speak.
usted	Hable.	No hable.
nosotros	Hablemos.	No hablemos.
vosotros	Hablad.	No habléis.
ustedes	Hablen.	No hablen.

So: positive tú = present 3rd person. All negatives and formal positives = subjunctive.

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Object Pronouns With Commands

With positive commands, object pronouns attach to the end of the verb:

• Dímelo. — Tell it to me. (di + me + lo)
• Cómpramelo. — Buy it for me. (compra + me + lo)
• Siéntate. — Sit down. (sienta + te)

Note: when you add pronouns, you may need to add a written accent to preserve stress.

With negative commands, pronouns go before the verb:

• No me lo digas. — Don’t tell it to me.
• No te sientes. — Don’t sit down.

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Vosotros Commands (Spain Only)

For affirmative commands, replace the infinitive -r with -d:

• hablar → hablad — speak (all of you)
• comer → comed — eat (all of you)
• venir → venid — come (all of you)

Exception: reflexive verbs drop the -d and attach -os:

• sentarse → sentaos — sit down (all of you)

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Quick Reference

Person	Positive (regular)	Negative
tú	3rd person present (habla)	Subjunctive (no hables)
usted	Subjunctive (hable)	Subjunctive (no hable)
nosotros	Subjunctive (hablemos)	Subjunctive (no hablemos)
vosotros	Infinitive → -d (hablad)	Subjunctive (no habléis)
ustedes	Subjunctive (hablen)	Subjunctive (no hablen)

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