Usually mistaken with the subjunctive, the imperative mood is mostly used to give direct commands. The imperative mood is also used sometimes to ask for something, to demand something, give instructions or offer something.
Keep always in mind that in the imperative mood, there's no first person singular (yo) and the first person plural (nosotros) is sometimes removed from the conjugation.
1. For the "tú" form (second person singular) use the "él/ella/usted" form (third person singular) of the present simple indicative for any group of verbs (-AR, -ER, or -IR)
Run slower or you will get tired really quickly.
Salta (tú) más alto para alcanzar esa rama del árbol.
Jump higher to reach that tree limb.
2. For the "Él/Ella/Usted" (third person singular) and "Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes" (third person plural) form change the last vowel of the present simple as follows:
Verbs ending in -AR: change -a for -e
Verbs ending in -ER and -IR: change -e for -a
Sing a song for all of us.
Diles a tus amigos que coman (ellos) más comida o tendré que tirarla.
Tell your friends to eat more food or I'll have to throw it away.
3. For the "nosotros" (first person plural) form, take the same person from the present subjunctive.
Let's talk with the teachers before our parents do so.
Compremos el nuevo ordenador antes de que se agote en las tiendas.
Let's buy the new omputer before it's sold out in the stores.
Keep always in mind that in the imperative mood, there's no first person singular (yo) and the first person plural (nosotros) is sometimes removed from the conjugation.
Conjugation
Here are four tips to remember the conjugation of the imperative mood.1. For the "tú" form (second person singular) use the "él/ella/usted" form (third person singular) of the present simple indicative for any group of verbs (-AR, -ER, or -IR)
| Present Indicative | Imperative | |
| Yo | como | - |
| Tú | comes | come |
| Él/Ella/Usted | come | coma |
| Nosotros | comemos | comamos |
| Ellos/Ustedes | comen | coman |
Examples:
Corre (tú) más despacio o te cansarás muy rápidamente.Run slower or you will get tired really quickly.
Salta (tú) más alto para alcanzar esa rama del árbol.
Jump higher to reach that tree limb.
2. For the "Él/Ella/Usted" (third person singular) and "Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes" (third person plural) form change the last vowel of the present simple as follows:
Verbs ending in -AR: change -a for -e
Verbs ending in -ER and -IR: change -e for -a
| Present Indicative | Imperative | |
| Yo | canto | - |
| Tú | cantas | canta |
| Él/Ella/Usted | canta | cante |
| Nosotros | cantamos | cantemos |
| Ellos/Ustedes | cantan | canten |
| Present Indicative | Imperative | |
| Yo | como | - |
| Tú | comes | come |
| Él/Ella/Usted | come | coma |
| Nosotros | comemos | comamos |
| Ellos/Ustedes | comen | coman |
| Present Indicative | Imperative | |
| Yo | vivo | - |
| Tú | vives | vive |
| Él/Ella/Usted | vive | viva |
| Nosotros | vivimos | vivamos |
| Ellos/Ustedes | viven | vivan |
Examples:
Canten (ustedes) una canción para todos nosotros.Sing a song for all of us.
Diles a tus amigos que coman (ellos) más comida o tendré que tirarla.
Tell your friends to eat more food or I'll have to throw it away.
3. For the "nosotros" (first person plural) form, take the same person from the present subjunctive.
| Present Subjunctive | Imperative | |
| Yo | hable | - |
| Tú | hables | habla |
| Él/Ella/Usted | hable | hable |
| Nosotros | hablemos | hablemos |
| Ellos/Ustedes | hablen | hablen |
Examples:
Hablemos (nosotros) con los profesores antes de que hablen nuestros padres.Let's talk with the teachers before our parents do so.
Compremos el nuevo ordenador antes de que se agote en las tiendas.
Let's buy the new omputer before it's sold out in the stores.