Introduction
When learning Spanish, one of the most practical skills you can develop is the ability to give commands, especially in informal situations with friends, family, or peers. Informal commands, also known as tú commands, are essential for everyday communication in Spanish-speaking countries. Unlike formal commands used with strangers or authority figures, informal commands create a friendly, casual tone perfect for social interactions. Understanding how to form and use these commands will dramatically improve your conversational abilities and help you sound more natural when speaking Spanish with people you know well.
What Are Informal Commands?
Informal commands are instructions or requests directed at someone with whom you have a casual relationship, typically expressed using the tú form. These are different from formal commands, which use the usted form. The informal commands are used when talking to friends, family members, classmates, or anyone with whom you have established a familiar relationship. In Spanish culture, knowing when to use informal commands versus formal ones is crucial for appropriate social interaction.
The beauty of informal commands is that they reflect the friendly, direct nature of Spanish conversations among peers. Whether you are telling a friend to come to a party, asking a sibling to help you with something, or instructing a classmate on how to do an activity, informal commands are your go-to grammatical tool.
Regular Affirmative Informal Commands
Regular affirmative informal commands follow a straightforward pattern that makes them relatively easy to master. To form a regular affirmative informal command, you simply take the third-person singular present tense form of the verb, whether it is an -ar, -er, or -ir verb, and use that form as your command.
Verbs Ending in -ar
For -ar verbs, remove the -ar ending from the infinitive and add -a. This gives you the command form. Consider the verb hablar (to speak). The third-person singular present is habla, and the command is also habla. Here are some practical examples:
Habla más lentamente. (Speak more slowly.)
Camina conmigo al parque. (Walk with me to the park.)
Llama a tu abuela hoy. (Call your grandmother today.)
Notice how these -ar verb commands sound natural and friendly. The verb cantar (to sing) becomes canta as a command, so you might say Canta esa canción para mí. (Sing that song for me.)
Verbs Ending in -er
For -er verbs, take the third-person singular present form, which typically ends in -e. The verb comer (to eat) becomes come in command form. Examples include:
Come tu almuerzo ahora. (Eat your lunch now.)
Bebe mucha agua. (Drink a lot of water.)
Lee ese libro que te recomendé. (Read that book I recommended to you.)
The verb correr (to run) becomes corre, so you might instruct someone with Corre rápido. (Run fast.)
Verbs Ending in -ir
For -ir verbs, the command form is also the third-person singular present tense. The verb vivir (to live) becomes vive. Examples of -ir verb commands include:
Vive tu vida al máximo. (Live your life to the fullest.)
Abre la puerta, por favor. (Open the door, please.)
Escribe tu nombre aquí. (Write your name here.)
The verb partir (to leave) becomes parte, so you might say Parte temprano mañana. (Leave early tomorrow.)
Irregular Affirmative Informal Commands
Spanish would not be Spanish without irregularities. Several common verbs have irregular affirmative informal commands that do not follow the standard pattern. These are high-frequency verbs that you will encounter regularly, so memorizing them is essential.
The verb ser (to be) becomes sé as a command: Sé honesto conmigo. (Be honest with me.)
The verb tener (to have) becomes ten: Ten cuidado en la calle. (Be careful on the street.)
The verb hacer (to do/make) becomes haz: Haz tu tarea antes de jugar. (Do your homework before playing.)
The verb ir (to go) becomes ve: Ve al mercado y compra pan. (Go to the market and buy bread.)
The verb decir (to say/tell) becomes di: Dime la verdad. (Tell me the truth.)
The verb poner (to put) becomes pon: Pon tus cosas en orden. (Put your things in order.)
The verb salir (to leave/go out) becomes sal: Sal de la casa a las ocho. (Leave the house at eight.)
The verb venir (to come) becomes ven: Ven aquí ahora mismo. (Come here right now.)
These irregular affirmative informal commands are essential vocabulary for any Spanish learner, and they appear frequently in everyday conversations.
Negative Informal Commands
Negative informal commands tell someone NOT to do something. These follow a different pattern than affirmative commands and are formed using the subjunctive mood. This might seem complex, but the pattern is consistent and learnable.
How to Form Negative Informal Commands
To form a negative informal command, you take the yo form of the present tense, remove the -o ending, and then add the appropriate subjunctive ending. For -ar verbs, add -es. For -er and -ir verbs, add -as.
For the verb hablar, the yo form is hablo. Remove the -o to get habl-, then add -es to create the negative command: no hables. Examples include:
No hables en la biblioteca. (Do not speak in the library.)
No cantes tan fuerte. (Do not sing so loudly.)
No camines solo por la noche. (Do not walk alone at night.)
For the verb comer, the yo form is como. Remove the -o to get com-, then add -as for negative commands: no comas.
No comas demasiado dulce. (Do not eat too much candy.)
No bebas de esa botella. (Do not drink from that bottle.)
No leas este mensaje a nadie. (Do not read this message to anyone.)
For the verb vivir, the yo form is vivo. Remove the -o to get viv-, then add -as: no vivas.
No vivas con preocupaciones. (Do not live with worries.)
No escribas en la pared. (Do not write on the wall.)
No abras esa ventana. (Do not open that window.)
Irregular Negative Informal Commands
Irregular verbs in negative informal commands follow the same subjunctive pattern, but with their irregular stems. The verb ser becomes no seas, the verb ir becomes no vayas, and the verb decir becomes no digas. These are formed consistently with the subjunctive conjugations of these verbs.
No seas tímido. (Do not be shy.)
No vayas al parque solo. (Do not go to the park alone.)
No digas mentiras. (Do not tell lies.)
Object Pronouns with Informal Commands
When using object pronouns with informal commands, the placement depends on whether the command is affirmative or negative. This is an important aspect of Spanish grammar that affects both the structure and sometimes the pronunciation of your sentences.
Object Pronouns in Affirmative Commands
In affirmative informal commands, object pronouns are attached directly to the end of the verb. When you attach a pronoun to a command form, an accent mark is often added to maintain the natural stress of the word.
Take the verb dar (to give). The command is da. If you want to say Give it to me, you would write Dámelo. Notice the accent mark has been added because attaching the pronouns shifts the stress. Other examples include:
Hazlo ahora. (Do it now.)
Cómprame un café. (Buy me a coffee.)
Dile la verdad. (Tell him the truth.)
Llévate tus cosas. (Take your things.)
Object Pronouns in Negative Commands
In negative informal commands, object pronouns are placed between the word no and the conjugated verb form. This maintains the standard Spanish word order for pronouns.
No lo hagas. (Do not do it.)
No me des eso. (Do not give me that.)
No le hables así. (Do not speak to him that way.)
No te olvides de nosotros. (Do not forget us.)
Practical Usage and Cultural Considerations
Informal commands are fundamental to sounding natural in Spanish. However, using them appropriately depends on your relationship with the person you are addressing. In Spain and Latin American countries, informal commands are typically used with family members, close friends, and people your own age or younger.
It is crucial to understand that using informal commands with someone you do not know well or with an authority figure can be considered rude. The alternative is to use formal commands with the usted form, which maintains respect and professionalism.
Additionally, some regions have their own variations. In Argentina and parts of Central America, many people use the voseo form instead of tú, which has slightly different command forms. However, understanding tú commands will serve you well in most Spanish-speaking contexts.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Many learners make predictable errors with informal commands. One common mistake is forgetting that negative commands use the subjunctive form rather than the imperative form. Another frequent error is misplacing object pronouns or forgetting to add accent marks when pronouns are attached to affirmative commands.
Additionally, learners sometimes confuse irregular affirmative commands with regular patterns. For instance, trying to form the command of tener as tenga instead of the correct ten can result in awkward communication.
Conclusion
Mastering informal commands in Spanish is a significant milestone in your language learning journey. Whether you are using regular affirmative commands like habla and come, irregular commands like sé and ven, or negative commands with the subjunctive, these grammatical structures enable you to communicate naturally and confidently with Spanish speakers in your daily life. Practice forming informal commands with common verbs, pay attention to proper pronoun placement, and always be mindful of social context when deciding whether to use informal or formal commands. With consistent practice and attention to detail, informal commands will become second nature, elevating your Spanish fluency to new heights.
