When to use it
The affirmative tú imperative gives instructions, advice and invitations to someone you address informally: Habla más despacio. Ven aquí.
For regular verbs it is the same as the él / ella / usted form of the present: él habla → ¡Habla!
This form is only for affirmative commands; negative ones (no hables) use a different form, taught later.
Regular and stem-changing verbs
| Infinitive | él / ella (presente) | Imperative (tú) |
|---|---|---|
| hablar | habla | habla |
| comer | come | come |
| escribir | escribe | escribe |
| cerrar | cierra | cierra |
| dormir | duerme | duerme |
| pedir | pide | pide |
| jugar | juega | juega |
Eight irregular forms
| Infinitive | Imperative (tú) |
|---|---|
| venir | ven |
| decir | di |
| salir | sal |
| hacer | haz |
| tener | ten |
| ir | ve |
| poner | pon |
| ser | sé |
Pronouns after the imperative
Object and reflexive pronouns are attached to the end of an affirmative command, as one word. Add a written accent when the stress would otherwise move: Dime. Escríbeme. Levántate. Siéntate.
Examples
- Habla más despacio, por favor.Speak more slowly, please.
- Ven a mi casa esta noche.Come to my place tonight.
- Haz los deberes antes de cenar.SpainDo your homework before dinner.
- Haz la tarea antes de cenar.Latin AmericaDo your homework before dinner.
- Cierra la ventana, que hace frío.Close the window, it's cold.
- Dime la verdad.Tell me the truth.Di + me, written as one word.
- Pon la mesa, por favor.Set the table, please.
Common mistakes
- Wrong:
¡Tiene paciencia!Right: ✓ ¡Ten paciencia!Tener is irregular: ten. - Wrong:
Hace la cama.Right: ✓ Haz la cama.Hacer is irregular: haz. Hace means “he or she makes”. - Wrong:
Dorme ocho horas.Right: ✓ Duerme ocho horas.The stem change of the present stays: duerme. - Wrong:
Me escribe pronto.Right: ✓ Escríbeme pronto.The pronoun goes after the affirmative command, joined to it, with an accent.