Imperative
The imperative guides someone to do something, and German shapes it by address: informal, formal, or group. This quick guide shows you how to form commands for each type with clear examples.
Informal Imperative
Use the 2nd person singular (du) form for familiar commands: typically drop the ending -st from the present tense and keep any stem changes. This works for telling a friend to do something quickly.
Examples
| German Example | English Translation |
|---|---|
| 🥣 Schneide die Tomaten! | Chop the tomatoes! |
| 🔥 Stell den Herd an! | Turn on the stove! |
| 🍞 Hol das Brot! | Get the bread! |
| 🧼 Wasch die Hände! | Wash your hands! |
More Examples
| German Example | English Translation |
|---|---|
| 🧂 Gib mir Salz! | Give me salt! |
| 🍋 Drück die Zitrone aus! | Squeeze the lemon! |
| 🥄 Rühr die Suppe! | Stir the soup! |
| 🧺 Deck den Tisch! | Set the table! |
Group Imperative (Ihr)
Use the 2nd person plural (ihr) form for commands to a group: keep the normal present tense ending and address the group as ihr. This feels natural when telling several people to do something.
Examples
| German Example | English Translation |
|---|---|
| 🍲 Kocht die Pasta! | Cook the pasta! |
| 🔪 Schneidet die Kräuter! | Chop the herbs! |
| 💧 Gießt das Wasser ein! | Pour in the water! |
| 🧻 Habt ihr die Servietten! | Do you have the napkins! |
More Examples
| German Example | English Translation |
|---|---|
| 🥘 Mischt die Zutaten! | Mix the ingredients! |
| 🕒 Kühlt die Suppe! | Cool the soup! |
| 🍽️ Stellt die Teller raus! | Put out the plates! |
| 🧴 Nehmt das Öl! | Take the oil! |
Formal Imperative
Use Sie for polite commands: place the infinitive first and follow with Sie to address one or more formally. This pattern works for strangers, customers, or superiors.
Examples
| German Example | English Translation |
|---|---|
| 🥖 Schneiden Sie das Brot, bitte. | Please cut the bread. |
| ☕ Machen Sie Kaffee. | Make coffee. |
| 🧑🍳 Rühren Sie die Soße. | Stir the sauce. |
| 🧴 Geben Sie mir das Öl. | Give me the oil. |
More Examples
| German Example | English Translation |
|---|---|
| 🍊 Schälen Sie die Orangen. | Peel the oranges. |
| 🔥 Stellen Sie den Ofen an. | Turn on the oven. |
| 🥗 Bereiten Sie den Salat zu. | Prepare the salad. |
| 📋 Lesen Sie das Rezept vor. | Read the recipe aloud. |
Imperative for wir
Use wir to include yourself in a suggestion: place the infinitive first followed by wir to make a group plan. This is handy for proposing something like Let's go or Let's start.
Examples
| German Example | English Translation |
|---|---|
| 🥣 Schneiden wir die Gurken! | Let’s cut the cucumbers! |
| 🔥 Stellen wir den Herd an! | Let’s turn on the stove! |
| 🥄 Rühren wir die Sauce! | Let’s stir the sauce! |
| 🧴 Geben wir Öl in die Pfanne! | Let’s put oil in the pan! |
More Examples
| German Example | English Translation |
|---|---|
| 🍞 Backen wir Brot! | Let’s bake bread! |
| 🥗 Machen wir einen Salat! | Let’s make a salad! |
| ⏲️ Kommen wir gleich zum Anrichten! | Let’s start plating soon! |
| 🧹 Räumen wir danach die Küche auf! | Let’s clean the kitchen afterward! |
Special Verbs
Some common verbs have short or irregular imperatives: sein, haben, passen and others can drop endings or change form for quick commands. Learn these small exceptions for natural speech.
Summary
The imperative changes by address: drop -st for du commands, keep endings for ihr, use the infinitive plus Sie for formal, and use wir for group suggestions. Practice a few special forms to go faster.
Last updated: Sun Sep 14, 2025