An overview of the French imperative mood, explaining how it is used to give commands, make requests, or offer advice in three forms: tu, nous, and vous.
The French imperative mood is a verb form used to give commands, make requests, offer advice, or express wishes. Unlike other moods, the imperative is only conjugated in three persons: tu (you, singular informal), nous (we), and vous (you, singular formal or plural). In regular -er verbs, the tu form drops the final -s (e.g., “parle” instead of “parles”). Irregular verbs like être, avoir, savoir, and vouloir have special imperative forms (e.g., “sois,” “aie,” “sache,” “veuille”). The imperative is always direct; subject pronouns are omitted. Negative commands are formed by placing “ne ... pas” around the verb (e.g., “Ne parle pas”). Understanding the imperative is key for everyday interactions in French.
A2
Table of Contents
- Affirmative Commands
Affirmative commands in French, including how to form them using the imperative mood, which pronouns are used, verb forms, and examples.
- Negative Commands
A comprehensive guide to forming negative commands in French using the imperative mood, including rules and examples.
Last updated: Thu Jun 12, 2025
