1. Tú Commands
(Los mandatos de la forma tú)
Dame la linterna, por favor.

2. For regular affirmative commands . . .
Tú Commands
For regular affirmative commands . . .
Think like él.
The regular affirmative tú command has the same form as the él form of the verb in the present indicative.

3. For regular affirmative commands . . .
Tú Commands
For regular affirmative commands . . .
Él habla. 
¡Habla tú!
He speaks.
Speak!
Él come. 
¡Come tú!
He eats.
Eat!
Él escribe. 
¡Escribe tú!
He writes.
Write!

4. Revert to the subjunctive.
Tú Commands
For regular negative commands . . .
Revert to the subjunctive.
The negative tú command has the same form as the tú form of the verb in the present subjunctive.

5. For regular negative commands . . .
Tú Commands
For regular negative commands . . .
Affirmative Negative
¡Habla!
¡No hables!
Speak!
Don’t speak!
¡Come!
¡No comas!
Eat!
Don’t eat!
¡Escribe!
¡No escribas!
Write!
Don’t write!

6. Tú Commands
In Capítulo 11 you learned that formal commands used the forms of the subjunctive. The informal (tú) commands, by contrast, use the subjunctive only in their negative forms. Notice the following chart.
Infinitive
Affirmative
Negative
(Subjunctive)
comprar
compra
no compres
(compres)
comer
come
no comas
(comas)
escribir
escribe
no escribas
(escribas)
pensar
piensa
no pienses
(pienses)
dormir
duerme
no duermas
(duermas)
pedir
pide
no pidas
(pidas)
traer
trae
no traigas
(traigas)

7. Tú Commands Remember . . . Recicla los platos de papel.
Regular affirmative tú commands have the same form as the third-person singular of the present indicative.
Recicla los platos de papel.
Recycle the paper plates.
Protege nuestros bosques.
Protect our forests.
Negative tú commands use the subjunctive.
No cortes los árboles pequeños.
Don’t cut down the small trees.
No cierres la fábrica todavía.
Don’t close the factory yet.
Irregularities in the subjunctive will also appear in the negative tú commands.
No conduzcas tan rápido.
Don’t drive so fast.
No te vayas.
Don’t leave.

8. Verbs with irregular affirmative forms
When listed in the following order, the initial letters of each verb provide the acronym TVVDSHIPS, a useful memory device.
Verb
Affirmative command
Negative command T
ener
ten
no tengas V
enir
ven
no vengas V
aler
val
no valgas D
ecir di
no digas S
alir
sal
no salgas H
acer
haz
no hagas I r ve
no vayas P
oner
pon
no pongas S er sé
no seas

9. Verbs with irregular affirmative forms
Some sample sentences using irregular forms:
Ten confianza.
No tengas miedo.
Ven a mi oficina.
No vengas tarde.
Val algo.
No te valgas del dinero.
Di la verdad.
No digas tonterías.
Sal inmediatamente.
No salgas sin mí.
Haz la inspección.
No me hagas enojar.
Ve a la reunión.
No te vayas.
Pon el libro en la mesa.
No pongas esa cara.
Sé amable con todos.
No seas grosero.

10. Object pronouns with tú commands
As with the formal commands, attach pronouns to the end of affirmative commands and place them in front of the negative command. Remember to place an accent on the next-to-last syllable of the verb in the affirmative command form.
Recíclala mañana.
Recycle it tomorrow.
No le pongas la multa a la estudiante.
Don’t give the fine to the student.

11. Object pronouns with tú commands
The irregular affirmative command forms (except for sé) do not take a written accent unless more than one pronoun is added to the end of the verb.
¿La mesa? Sí, ponla por favor.
The table? Yes, set it, please.
Dime, ¿adónde vas?
Tell me, where are you going?
¿Sabes su teléfono? Dímelo, por favor.
Do you know his telephone number? Tell it to me, please.

12. FIN