The imperative mood in German is used to give commands, make requests, or offer suggestions. It is direct and changes form depending on the person addressed and whether the command is positive or negative.
- Used for commands, requests, and suggestions.
- Different forms for du, ihr, Sie, and wir.
- Both affirmative and negative forms exist for imperatives.
The imperative mood is used for commands, requests, and suggestions.
The forms are du (singular), ihr (plural), and Sie (formal).
Key Forms
| Subject | Form Example (from machen) | Usage |
|---|---|---|
| du | Mach! (drop -en, sometimes add -e) | To one person (informal) |
| ihr | Macht! | To a group (informal) |
| Sie | Machen Sie! | To one or more (formal) |
| wir | Machen wir! | Let’s do it (inclusive) |
- *du:* Drop the -en from the infinitive; sometimes add -e (often optional).
- *ihr:* Use the verb stem + -t.
- *Sie:* Use the full infinitive + Sie; verb precedes Sie.
- *wir:* Use the full infinitive + wir.
du, ihr, Sie, and wir are the key forms for imperatives.
For ‘du’, the -en ending is dropped from the infinitive.
Examples
| Subject | Verb | Command | Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| du | gehen | Geh! | (to one person) Go! |
| ihr | essen | Esst! | (to a group) Eat! |
| Sie | sprechen | Sprechen Sie! | (formal) Speak! |
| wir | arbeiten | Arbeiten wir! | (Let’s) Work! |
Geh! (du), Geht! (ihr), Gehen Sie! (formal), Gehen wir! (let's...) are correct.
‘Esst!’ is the correct imperative for ‘ihr’ (to the group).
Affirmative Commands
For affirmative commands: use the verb stem for 'du', -t for 'ihr', and full infinitive + Sie for formal.
Negative Commands
Use 'nicht' or 'kein' after the verb for negative imperatives.