Making commands (the imperative)
1 Definition
The imperative is the form of a
verb
used to instruct or invite someone
to do something. It has three persons:
- Second person singular: donne!
- First person plural: donnons!
- Second person plural: donnez!
2 Formation and use of imperative
2.1 For regular -er verbs and
aller
The
second person singular
is formed by taking the second person singular of
the
present tense
(e.g. donnes) and removing the final -s:
Donne-lui un coup de main pour
la vaisselle!
Give him / her a hand with the washing-up!
Va lui donner un coup de main
pour la vaisselle!
Go and give him / her a hand with the washing-up!
Enlève ce couvercle s’il te plaît.
Take this lid off please.
Baisse un peu la radio s’il te plaît.
Turn the radio down a bit please.
Regarde ce que tu as fait!
Look what you’ve done!
Apporte ce paquet à ton grand-père.
Take this parcel to your grandfather.
Range ta chambre sinon tu n’iras pas jouer dehors.
Tidy your bedroom or else you won’t go and play outside.
Note
Note, however, that the -s returns to this form when it is
followed by y or en:
Vas-y, achètes-en!
Go on, buy some!
Voilà des bonbons, mais donnes-en quelques-uns à ton frère aussi.
Here are some sweets, but give some to your brother as well.
Elle a des allergies. Penses-y si tu lui achètes quelque chose.
She suffers from allergies. Bear that in mind if you buy her anything.
Si tu as des oeufs, apportes-en que je te fasse un gâteau.
If you have any eggs, bring some so I can make you a cake.
Il y a des roses dans le jardin, coupes-en pour ta mère.
There are roses in the garden, cut some for your mother.
Vas-y sans moi, je t’en prie. J’ai trop de travail.
Go without me, please. I’ve got too much work.
The
first person plural
is the same as the first person plural of the
present tense
(e.g. donnons):
Donnons-lui un coup de main
pour la vaisselle!
Let's give him / her a hand with the washing-up!
Allons lui donner un coup de
main pour la vaisselle!
Let's go and give him / her a hand with the washing-up!
Appelons Marie pour lui dire que nous sommes bien arrivés.
Let’s call Marie to tell her that we arrived safely.
Allons ensemble à l’école.
Let’s go together to school.
Regardons ce qu’ils nous ont acheté.
Let’s see what they’ve bought us.
Profitons du beau temps pour nous détendre dans le jardin.
Let’s take advantage of the good weather to relax in the garden.
Annonçons la nouvelle à nos amis immédiatement.
Let’s announce the news to our friends immediately.
The
second person plural
is the same as the second person plural of the
present tense
(e.g. donnez):
Donnez-lui un coup de main
pour la vaisselle!
Give him / her a hand with the washing-up!
Allez lui donner un coup de
main pour la vaisselle!
Go and give him / her a hand with the washing-up!
Appelez les pompiers s’il vous plaît.
Call the fire brigade please.
Pensez à m’écrire quand vous serez au Canada.
Remember to write to me when you’re in Canada.
Fermez les volets s’il vous plaît.
Close the shutters please.
Compostez votre billet avant de monter dans le train.
Stamp your ticket before getting on the train.
Allumez la lumière s’il vous plaît.
Turn the light on please.
2.2 Other verbs
For most other
verbs
, all three persons are the same as the equivalent
persons in the
present tense
:
Finis tes devoirs! / Finissez
vos devoirs!
Finish your homework!
Rends-lui le livre! / Rendez-lui
le livre!
Give him / her back the book!
Ouvre la fenêtre s’il te plaît.
Open the window please.
Réponds tout de suite à leurs accusations si tu veux que l’on te croit.
Respond to their accusations straightaway if you want people to believe you.
Promettez-moi que vous serez de retour avant onze heures.
Promise me you’ll be back by eleven o’clock.
Maigris un peu si tu veux remettre ce pantalon.
Lose a bit of weight if you want to wear that pair of trousers again.
Obéis à ton père.
Obey your father.
There are, however, four irregular formations:
Table 62.2.2a: Irregualar imperatives
| verb | imperative |
|---|
|
Être |
sois,
soyons, soyez |
|
Avoir |
aie,
ayons, ayez |
|
Savoir |
sache,
sachons, sachez |
|
Vouloir |
veuille,
(no 1st pers pl), veuillez |
Sois sage!
Be good!
N’ayez pas peur!
Don’t be frightened!
Sache que je n’y suis pas mêlé
Please understand that I’m not involved
Veuillez vous asseoir
Please sit down
Sachez vous montrer plus humble parfois.
You must show yourself to be more humble sometimes.
Ayez l’air sûr de ce que vous affirmez.
Be confident in what you’re saying.
Soyez vous et personne d’autre.
Be yourself and no-one else.
Sois ici à sept heures demain s’il te plaît.
Be here at seven o’clock tomorrow please.
Soyez rassuré, il n’y a pas de quoi vous inquiéter.
Rest assured that there’s nothing for you to worry about.
2.3 Pronominal verbs in the imperative
In
affirmative
imperative sentences, the
reflexive pronoun
comes immediately
after the main verb. Note that the pronoun te is replaced with
toi:
Lève-toi!
Get up!
Rase-toi avant de sortir s’il te plaît.
Have a shave before you go out please.
Renseigne-toi à la gare si tu veux savoir l’heure des trains.
Ask at the station if you want to know the times of the trains.
Dépêches-toi sinon tu vas rater ton train.
Hurry up or else you’ll miss your train.
Amusez-vous bien cet après-midi, les enfants!
Have a good time this afternoon children!
Brosse-toi les cheveux avant de partir s’il te plaît.
Brush your hair before you leave please.
In
negative
imperative sentences, however, the word order reverts to
the regular word order:
Tu ne te lèves pas
You don't get up
Ne te lève pas!
Don't get up!
Ne vous gavez pas de bonbons, vous n’aurez plus faim tout à l’heure.
Don’t stuff yourself with sweets, you won’t be hungry later.
Ne vous approchez pas de la rivière s’il vous plaît.
Don’t go near the river please.
Ne te plains pas, tu aurais pu avoir une amende.
Don’t complain, you might have got a fine.
Ne te couche pas trop tard, tu as école demain.
Don’t go to bed too late, you’ve got school in the morning.
Ne vous appuyez pas contre le mur, s’il vous plaît. La peinture est fraîche.
Don’t lean against the wall, please. The paint is wet.
2.4 Use of imperative
The imperative is used very much as it is in English:
- To give an order:
Fermez la porte!
Close the door!
- Make a suggestion:
Allons-y!
Let's go!
- Make an invitation:
Venez chez nous!
Come to our house!
- Express a wish:
Dors bien!
Sleep well!
