The Imperative Mood (El Imperativo)
Commands in Spanish change depending on who you are talking to and whether you are telling them to do something or not to do something.
Who are you talking to?
Tú
Informal singular address, commonly used with friends, family, children, and people you address casually.
Usted
Formal or respectful singular address. The exact level of formality varies by country and situation.
Vosotros
Informal plural address used mainly in Spain.
Ustedes
Plural address throughout Latin America; in Spain it is generally the formal plural form.
Regular Commands at a Glance
For most regular verbs, the affirmative tú command matches the third-person singular present form. Negative tú commands and usted / ustedes commands use the present subjunctive. Positive vosotros commands use -ad, -ed, -id.
| Command | hablar | comer | vivir |
|---|---|---|---|
| tú + | habla | come | vive |
| tú − | no hables | no comas | no vivas |
| usted ± | hable / no hable | coma / no coma | viva / no viva |
| vosotros + | hablad | comed | vivid |
| vosotros − | no habléis | no comáis | no viváis |
| ustedes ± | hablen / no hablen | coman / no coman | vivan / no vivan |
“Let’s…”: Spanish uses the nosotros subjunctive form: hablemos, comamos, vivamos.
Positive Commands (Do it!)
Let's look at the regular verb esperar — to wait.
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Tú:
¡Espera! Wait! / Wait here!
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Usted:
¡Espere! Wait! / Please wait. Formal.
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Vosotros:
¡Esperad! Wait! To a group. Spain.
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Ustedes:
¡Esperen! Wait! To a group; standard throughout Latin America.
Negative Commands (Don't do it!)
For negative commands, Spanish uses the present subjunctive endings.
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Tú:
¡No esperes! Don't wait!
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Usted:
¡No espere! Don't wait! Formal.
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Vosotros:
¡No esperéis! Don't wait! To a group. Spain.
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Ustedes:
¡No esperen! Don't wait! To a group; standard throughout Latin America.
The 8 Irregular Tú Commands
Eight high-frequency verbs have irregular affirmative tú commands. These forms are worth memorizing because they appear constantly in everyday Spanish.
Negative tú commands follow the present subjunctive instead: no digas, no hagas, no vayas, no pongas, no salgas, no seas, no tengas, no vengas.
Pronouns with Commands: One Rule to Remember
Positive command → attach the pronoun
dime · hazlo · cómpralo · siéntate
Negative command → put the pronoun before the verb
no me digas · no lo hagas · no lo compres · no te sientes
Attached pronouns can require a written accent to preserve the original stress: cómpralo, siéntate, explícamelo. See Reflexive Imperatives for the detailed rules.
Master the Imperative: Deep Dive Lessons
A) Irregular Verb Reference
Review high-frequency irregular verbs across key forms, then connect them to the commands you see here.
• ¡Cuenta conmigo! — Count on me.
• ¡Hazme caso! — Listen to me. / Pay attention.
• ¡No te vayas! — Don't leave.
• ¡Ven aquí! — Come here.
• ¡No me digas! — You don't say! / Don't tell me.
B) The “Go” Verbs
Learn commands with verbs like tener, poner, salir, venir, and decir.
• ¡Ten cuidado! — Be careful!
• ¡No tengas miedo! — Don't be afraid!
• ¡Pon la mesa! — Set the table!
C) Reflexive Verbs & Pronouns
Learn where pronouns go in positive and negative reflexive commands.
• ¡Siéntate! — Sit down!
• ¡No te preocupes! — Don't worry!
• ¡Lávate las manos! — Wash your hands!
D) Phrasal & Idiomatic Commands
Learn natural Spanish command expressions that are used as fixed phrases.
• ¡Date prisa! — Hurry up!
• ¡Hazme caso! — Listen to me!
• ¡Échame una mano! — Give me a hand!
Continue Learning
Review the most important imperative patterns, then test yourself with a short quiz.