Gramática · Nivel A2
El imperativo
Commands. Give directions, share a recipe, invite friends to dance. Commands get things done.
Paso 1
Aprende · Learn
By the end of this lesson…
- I can give simple instructions, like a recipe or directions.
- I can give advice and tell someone what not to do.
- I can make polite requests with usted.
When to use it
- Instructions and recipesCorta la cebolla y añade la sal.Cut the onion and add the salt.
- Advice and warningsNo salgas sin paraguas.Don’t go out without an umbrella.
- Polite requests (usted / ustedes)Pase, por favor. Siéntense aquí.Come in, please. Sit here (all of you).
- Invitations: “let’s…” (nosotros)¡Bailemos!Let’s dance!
How to form it
Commands use the forms below. Most of them come from the present subjunctive.
| Verb | tú (+) | tú (−) | usted | ustedes | nosotros/as |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| hablar | habla | no hables | hable | hablen | hablemos |
| comer | come | no comas | coma | coman | comamos |
| escribir | escribe | no escribas | escriba | escriban | escribamos |
| pensar | piensa | no pienses | piense | piensen | pensemos |
| volver | vuelve | no vuelvas | vuelva | vuelvan | volvamos |
| pedir | pide | no pidas | pida | pidan | pidamos |
Keys to remember
- Affirmative tú = the él/ella present form: habla, come, escribe, piensa.
- Eight irregular tú commands: di, haz, ve, pon, sal, sé, ten, ven.
- Negative tú, usted, ustedes and nosotros use the present subjunctive: no hables, hable, hablen, hablemos.
- Pronouns attach to affirmative commands (add an accent to keep the stress): dímelo, siéntate. They go before negative commands: no me lo digas.
- Let’s go: vamos (affirmative) but no vayamos (negative).
Irregular commands
| Verb | tú (+) | tú (−) | usted | ustedes | nosotros/as |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| decir | di | no digas | diga | digan | digamos |
| hacer | haz | no hagas | haga | hagan | hagamos |
| ir | ve | no vayas | vaya | vayan | vamos |
| poner | pon | no pongas | ponga | pongan | pongamos |
| salir | sal | no salgas | salga | salgan | salgamos |
| ser | sé | no seas | sea | sean | seamos |
| tener | ten | no tengas | tenga | tengan | tengamos |
| venir | ven | no vengas | venga | vengan | vengamos |
Paso 2
Practica · Conjugation drill
10 quick questions. Type the form, press Enter, and get instant feedback. You get two tries per question.
Review these:
Paso 3
En contexto · Real-world practice
Type the correct form of the verb in parentheses. Accent buttons are under each sentence. After each answer, you’ll see why it’s correct. Sentences come from everyday life across the Spanish-speaking world.
Paso 4 · Apply it
Habla y escribe: Mi receta favorita
Write or record a video · 6–8 steps
Teach a friend how to make a simple dish from the Spanish-speaking world, step by step, using tú commands.
Steps
- Name the dish and the ingredients.
- Give 5–6 steps with affirmative commands (mezcla, añade, cocina…).
- Add one warning with a negative command (no quemes…).
- Finish with a tip: Sirve con… ¡Buen provecho!
0 words
Self-check
See a model answer
Arepas venezolanas (sin gluten). Ingredientes: dos tazas de harina de maíz precocida, dos tazas y media de agua tibia y una cucharadita de sal. Primero, pon el agua y la sal en un bol. Luego, añade la harina poco a poco y mezcla con las manos. Amasa durante dos minutos y deja reposar la masa cinco minutos. Después, haz bolitas y aplánalas con las palmas. Cocina las arepas en un budare o sartén caliente, unos seis minutos por cada lado. No las saques antes de tiempo: deben sonar huecas cuando les das golpecitos. Al final, ábrelas y rellénalas con queso, aguacate o caraotas. ¡Buen provecho!
Venezuelan arepas (gluten-free). Ingredients: two cups of precooked corn flour, two and a half cups of warm water and a teaspoon of salt. First, put the water and salt in a bowl. Then add the flour little by little and mix with your hands. Knead for two minutes and let the dough rest five minutes. Next, make little balls and flatten them with your palms. Cook the arepas on a hot griddle or pan, about six minutes per side. Don’t take them out too early: they should sound hollow when you tap them. Finally, open them and fill them with cheese, avocado or black beans. Enjoy!
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