Spanish Grammar: Formal Commands
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| Spanish Grammar: Formal Commands la gramática española: los imperativos – formales
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60-Second Spanish Grammar Lesson |
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| It is important to not only be able to understand commands but also to be able to use them correctly. Imperatives are words that are used to ask or tell a person to do something. If you want to be able to tell someone how or what do to or to understand if someone tells you to do something in Spanish, you will need to understand Imperatives. Imperatives are used in many different situations.
By now, you are aware that Spanish uses two styles of speech: formal and informal. There are two types of commands in Spanish – Formal Commands and Informal Commands. Regular formal commands (used like we use usted) have one form for both the affirmative and negative. Start with the yo form of the verb, drop the ‘o’, for –AR verbs, add –e, for –ER and –IR verbs, add –a. hablar -> hablo -> habl* leer -> leo -> le* escribir -> escribo -> escrib* tener -> tengo -> teng* poner -> pongo -> pong* There are only three irregular usted/formal singular commands: ir : ¡Vaya! saber : ¡Sepa! ser : ¡Sea! Ustedes or formal plural commands are almost the same as the usted commands. Start with the yo form of the verb, drop the ‘o’, for –AR verbs, add –en, for –ER and –IR verbs, add –an. (Remember to use the spelling changes!) hablar -> hablo -> habl* leer -> leo -> le* escribir -> escribo -> escrib* tener -> tengo -> teng* poner -> pongo -> pong* Commands can use an inverted exclamation point at the beginning of the command and an upright exclamation point at the end of the sentence. To tell one person you don’t know well to do something: ¡Espere a tu hermano! Tell tell one person you don’t know not to do something: ¡No escriba en su libro! To tell a group of people you don’t know to do something: ¡Hablen de otra cosa! To tell a group of people you don’t know NOT to do something: ¡No comen! |
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| ¡Abran las ventanas! Open the windows!Cierran las ventanas, está lloviendo! Close the windows, it’s raining!Coma las espinacas! Eat your spinach! ¡Comience la terea! ¡Vaya a la fiesta! ¡No salgan temprano! ¡Lea el libro! ¡Estudian! ¡Corren, los zombies! |
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