How to Use Informal Commands to Tell Someone “Do It!” in Spanish

Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you urgently needed to tell someone to do something in Spanish, but didn’t know how to express it politely? Informal commands, also known as the imperative mood, can come in handy in such situations. In this blog post, you’ll learn how to use informal commands to convey a sense of urgency or request without sounding rude.

Understanding Informal Commands

An imperative mood is a grammatical mood used to give commands or make requests. In Spanish, there are two types of imperatives- formal and informal. Formal imperatives are used to show respect, while informal imperatives are used among friends and family members.

Informal commands are formed using the present tense of the verb, without the subject pronoun. For example, if you want to tell someone to study, you would say “Estudia” (Study), instead of “Tú estudia” (You study).

Positive Informal Commands

To form a positive informal command, you need to follow these rules:

1. Start with the present tense of the verb.
2. Remove the subject pronoun (tú).
3. If the verb ends in “ar”, replace it with “a”. If the verb ends in “er” or “ir”, replace it with “e”.
4. Add an accent mark if it changes the stress of the word.

For example:

– Hablar (to talk) – ¡Habla! (Talk!)
– Comer (to eat) – ¡Come! (Eat!)
– Escribir (to write) – ¡Escribe! (Write!)

Negative Informal Commands

To form a negative informal command, you need to follow these rules:

1. Start with the present tense of the verb.
2. Remove the subject pronoun (tú).
3. If the verb ends in “ar”, replace it with “es”. If the verb ends in “er” or “ir”, replace it with “as”.
4. Add “no” before the verb.

For example:

– Hablar (to talk) – ¡No hables! (Don’t talk!)
– Comer (to eat) – ¡No comas! (Don’t eat!)
– Escribir (to write) – ¡No escribas! (Don’t write!)

Using Informal Commands Politely

While informal commands are perfect for giving quick commands and requests, it is important to remember that they can come across as rude or impolite in certain situations. So, how can you use informal commands politely?

Here are some tips to keep in mind:

– Use “por favor” (please) when making requests.
– Use “gracias” (thank you) when the task is completed.
– Use a friendly tone of voice.
– Use the person’s name to make the request more personal and polite.

For example:

– Study for the test, please. – Estudia para el examen, por favor.
– Pass me the salt, please. – Pásame la sal, por favor.
– Clean your room, Marcos. – Limpia tu habitación, Marcos.

Conclusion

Informal commands are an essential part of everyday conversation in Spanish. By mastering the rules of informal commands, you can communicate effectively with friends and family members in a way that is natural and appropriate. Just remember to use them politely and with respect, and you’ll be well on your way to speaking Spanish like a native!