1. IMPERATIVO! (per comandare...)
Giving commands in Italian...
How fun!

2. Why Commands?
Italians love to order people around - Can you think of anyone that does that every day, Monday through Friday?
Commands are also used to give advice or as an invitation to do something specific

3. How do we change verbs to make them work as commands?
Let’s start by saying that you can’t give commands to yourself (well...you could, but we’ll avoid it!)
Also, you can’t give commands to people that are outside of the picture - lui/lei/loro

4. So who can we order around?
We can give commands to a person - or people - we speak to directly
That could be TU - if it’s friendly and informal
Or it could be LEI - if it’s a formal approach
Or it could be NOI - if you’re giving a command to a group that you are part of
Or it could even be VOI - if there is more than one person in question (not YOU - but YOU GUYS)

5. Of course, it will be the endings to make verbs take a command form
And, of course, each verb family (-ARE -ERE -IRE) has a different set of endings.
Ready to explore them? Here they are!

6. -ARE VERBS For TU form: -A Ex: GUARDA!
For LEI form: -I Ex: GUARDI! (Notice how they endings swithed?)
For NOI form: -IAMO Ex: GUARDIAMO! (Same old...)
For VOI form: -ATE Ex: GUARDATE! (Same old...)

7. -ERE VERBS For TU form: -I Ex: SCRIVI! For LEI form: -A Ex: SCRIVA!
For NOI form: -IAMO Ex: SCRIVIAMO!
For VOI form: -ETE Ex: SCRIVETE!

8. -IRE VERBS For TU form: -I Ex: APRI! For LEI form: -A Ex: APRA!
For NOI form: -IAMO Ex: APRIAMO!
For VOI form: -ITE Ex: APRITE!

9. -IRE “ISC” VERBS
TU and LEI: Drop the -O off the IO form - Ex: PULISCO/PULISC - then add
For TU form: -I Ex: PULISCI!
For LEI form: -A Ex: PULISCA!
NOI and VOI remain “normal”!
For NOI form: -IAMO Ex: PULIAMO!
For VOI form: -ITE Ex: PULITE!

10. How about telling someone NOT to do something?
For TU form: Keep the verb in -ARE - ERE and -IRE form and place NON in front of it.
Ex: Non mangiare! Non scrivere! Non dormire!
For LEI/NOI/VOI forms: Simply add NON in front of their command forms. Ex: (LEI) Non mangi! (NOI) Non scriviamo! (VOI) Non dormite!

11. With reflexive verbs (Mirror Verbs - actions reflected onto the subject)
For TU - NOI - VOI forms: Attach the reflexive mini-word or object at the end of the verb.
Ex. #1: Lavare/tu - Lava! But: Lavarsi/tu - Lavati!
For LEI form: Keep the reflexive mini- word or object detached and place it before the verb.
Ex: Lavare/Lei - Lavi! But: Lavarsi/Lei - Si lavi!

12. Reflexive Mini-Words Reminder
Io - Mi
Tu - Ti
Lui/Lei - Si
Noi - Ci
Voi - Vi
Loro - Si

13. What about the irregular verbs? Lucky you, there’s only seven!
ESSERE
AVERE
ANDARE
DARE
DIRE
FARE
STARE

14. ESSERE
TU: Sii
Lei: Sia
Noi: Siamo
Voi: Siate

15. AVERE
Tu: Abbi
Lei: Abbia
Noi: Abbiamo
Voi: Abbiate

16. ANDARE
Tu: Vai/Va’
Lei: Vada
Noi: Andiamo
Voi: Andate

17. DARE
Tu: Dai/Da’
Lei: Dia
Noi: Diamo
Voi: Date

18. DIRE
Tu: Di’
Lei: Dica
Noi: Diciamo
Voi: Dite

19. FARE
Tu: Fai/Fa’
Lei: Faccia
Noi: Facciamo
Voi: Fate

20. STARE
Tu: Stai/Sta’
Lei: Stia
Noi: Stiamo
Voi: State