The imperative mood gives commands, makes requests, offers advice, and sometimes invites action. It is brief and focused on practical speech.
Formation
The imperative uses specific forms for tu, vous, and nous. For tu and nous, it corresponds to the present tense without the subject pronoun; for vous, it is the present tense form.
Affirmative Commands
Affirmative commands place object pronouns after the verb and connect them with hyphens. In tu commands, pronouns like me and te become m’ and t’ when attached.
Negative Commands
Negative commands keep pronouns before the verb and place the whole phrase between ne...pas. The command form includes the pronouns and the sentence retains normal word order.
Special Cases
Some verbs have irregular imperative forms or drop the final s in the tu command for -er verbs. Pronoun placement and form must be watched carefully in these cases.
Usage
Use the imperative to give clear instructions, polite requests, and quick advice. It appears in recipes, directions, classroom settings, and everyday interactions.
Summary
The imperative mood streamlines commands through three main forms and distinctive pronoun placement. Practice both affirmative and negative patterns to become natural in giving orders and advice.
Last updated: Fri Oct 24, 2025