Informal Commands in Spanish

Informal Commands in Spanish

• Informal commands in Spanish are used to give instructions or requests to people you are familiar with (e.g., friends, family, colleagues). They are different from formal commands and require different verb conjugations.
• The subject pronoun is omitted in informal commands.

Conjugation Principles

• The "tú" form of the verb is used in most cases.
• For most regular -ar, -er, and -ir verbs, the command is formed by removing the "s" from the present tense "tú" form of the verb if the verb doesn't already end in -ar, -er, or -ir.
• Irregular verbs often follow unique patterns that need to be memorized.

Affirmative Commands

• Affirmative commands are used to tell someone to do something.
• Regular -ar verbs: Remove the -s from the tú form: hablar -> habla (speak!).
• Regular -er and -ir verbs: Remove the -s from the tú form: comer -> come (eat!), pedir -> pide (ask for!).
• Irregular verbs: Memorize the irregular forms. Key examples include:
  • Ser (to be): sé (be!)
  • Ir (to go): ve (go!)
  • Dar (to give): da (give!)
  • Tener (to have): ten (have!)

Negative Commands

• Negative commands are used to tell someone not to do something.
• The negative particle "no" is placed before the verb.
• Regular verbs: Use the same removal of the -s rule applied to affirmative commands. Add the no before the modified tú form: hablar -> no hables (don't speak!).
• Irregular verbs: Use the same negative command formation as regular verbs, but remember the irregular forms: ser -> no seas (don't be!).

Important Considerations

• Commands expressing future actions: Commands can often express a demand or instruction for an action that will happen in the future, not just for immediate actions.
• Vowels and intonation: Slight variations in pronunciation and vowel emphasis can affect the nuance of the command.
• Context is key: The specific context will determine the most appropriate command to use.

Common Mistakes

• Forgetting the omission of the subject pronoun.
• Confusing the informal command forms with the formal command forms ("usted" commands).
• Misspelling or mispronouncing the irregular commands.
• Incorrectly applying the rules for regular verbs, particularly in the case of the "-s" which might add a vowel to the verb, e.g., "escuchar" (to listen): no escuches.

Additional Examples

• Habla (speak!)
• Come (eat!)
• Ve (go!)
• No hables (don't speak!)
• No comas (don't eat!)
• No vayas (don't go!)
• Ten cuidado (be careful!)
• No seas tonto (Don't be silly)
• Siéntate (sit down)
• No te sientes (don't sit down)

Using "Ud." or "Uds." in conjunction with Informal Commands

• Users frequently confuse "Ud." (usted) or "Uds." (ustedes) with informal commands. These forms are used for formal commands and requests and should not be used in informal situations.