Affirmative commands are used to give direct orders, instructions, or requests telling someone to do something. In French, these commands are expressed in the imperative mood and are only used in the second person (singular tu, plural/formal vous, and sometimes nous for suggestions).
- Used for direct instructions: "Do this!", "Listen!", "Be quiet!"
- Only three subjects: tu, nous, vous
- Remove subject pronouns in commands
Only tu, nous, and vous are used in imperative commands.
Forming Affirmative Commands
For most verbs, use the verb stem directly (no subject):
- Tu: Use the present tense form, but drop the final -s for regular -er verbs.
- Nous: Use the present tense form (same as the indicative) to mean "Let's..."
- Vous: Use the present tense form (same as the indicative) for plural/formal commands.
Regular Verbs
| Subject | -er Verbs | -ir Verbs | -re Verbs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tu | Parle! (drop -s) | Finis! | Vends! |
| Nous | Parlons! | Finissons! | Vendons! |
| Vous | Parlez! | Finissez! | Vendez! |
Important: For tu commands with -er verbs, do not add -s even if it’s customary in the indicative.
The -s is dropped from the tu form of -er verbs.
Examples:
- Parler (to speak) → Parle! (tu), Parlons! (nous), Parlez! (vous)
- Finir (to finish) → Finis! (tu), Finissons! (nous), Finissez! (vous)
- Vendre (to sell) → Vends! (tu), Vendons! (nous), Vendez! (vous)
Command Form for -er Verbs: Special Note for Tu
The tu form of -er verbs in the affirmative drops the final -s (e.g., "Parle!" not "Parles!"). This distinguishes it from the indicative and subjunctive forms.
However, if the verb is followed by en or y, the -s is reattached for ease of pronunciation (e.g., "Vas-y!").
- Use stem + (er → e) for tu, but no -s
- If followed by en or y, add back the -s: "Donne-le!" vs. "Donne-l'en!"
You drop it, unless the verb is followed by y or en, in which case it is retained for pronunciation.
Examples of Common Affirmative Commands
| Verb | Meaning | Tu | Nous | Vous |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Parler | To speak | Parle! | Parlons! | Parlez! |
| Finir | To finish | Finis! | Finissons! | Finissez! |
| Vendre | To sell | Vends! | Vendons! | Vendez! |
| Être | To be | Sois! | Soyons! | Soyez! |
| Avoir | To have | Aie! | Ayons! | Ayez! |
| Aller | To go | Va! | Allons! | Allez! |
| Faire | To do/make | Fais! | Faisons! | Faites! |
Sois! (tu), Soyons! (nous), Soyez! (vous)
Because they are irregular and don't follow typical patterns.
Conclusion
The imperative mood is essential for giving clear, direct instructions or suggestions in French. Mastering affirmative commands for both regular and irregular verbs will greatly improve your ability to communicate in real-life situations.
- Use the verb stem and no subject for commands.
- Drop the -s for tu with -er verbs (except before y/en).
- Memorize irregular imperative forms for common verbs.