L’IMPÉRATIF

IMPERATIVE is another word for COMMAND IMPERATIVE is another word for COMMAND. Imperatives tell people to do or not to do things. The imperative starts with the verb. This is similar to English. Arrête!  (You) Stop! Mangez votre dîner!  (You all) eat your dinner!

There are three persons of the imperative: TU, NOUS, and VOUS. PARLE!  (you) Speak! PARLONS!  Let’s speak! PARLEZ!  (You all) speak! These are conjugated like the regular present. BUT, with –ER verbs, the –S regularly on the TU form is dropped.

PRENDS!  (You) take! PRENONS!  Let’s take! PRENEZ!  You all take! With non-ER verbs, keep the –S on the TU form. FAIS! FAISONS! FAITES!

To make an imperative in the negative, use NE … PAS. NE BOIS PAS ÇA!  Don’t drink that! NE JOUONS PAS AU BILLARD!  Let’s not play pool! N’ACHETEZ PAS CES JUPES!  Don’t buy those skirts!

With pronouns in a command, put them after the verb. LEVE-TOI!  Get (yourself) up! MANGEONS-LE!  Let’s eat it!

With pronouns in a negative imperative, leave them before the verb as usual. NE M’APPELLE PAS.  Don’t call me. NE LA REGARDEZ PAS.  Don’t look at her.

Mettez à l’impératif Faire le devoir! (tu) Manger la pizza! (vous) Aller au supermarché! (vous) Prendre le bus! (nous) Parler le francais! (tu) Ne parler pas l’anglais! (nous)