Learning the French Imperative (Imperatif)

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Learn the French imperative with podcasts and exercises for the French language learner to practice French grammar.

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THINGS TO REMEMBER WHEN USING THE IMPERATIVE IN FRENCHFOR AFFIRMATIVE COMMANDS, THE OBJECT PRONOUNS COME AFTER THE VERB.FOR NEGATIVE COMMANDS, THE OBJECT PRONOUNS COME BEFORE THE VERB.Quick RecapLearn More about the French Imperative:

Imagine a world where there are no commands or orders being issued. Well yeah, that’s right, you can’t. Whether you’re the one giving the orders or being given the orders, these things are all inexplicably intertwined with human nature and everyday living.

To issue commands or give instructions, we use the imperative form of the verb. We use the imperative day in and day out, and these words are quite often inescapable – from the moment you wake up until the day ends.

“wake up!”

“go to work!”

“hurry up!”

“shut the door!”

“work on this project”

“sit down”

“meet me at 8”

“turn off the lights”

“go to bed now”

… and so many things in between.

Other uses of the imperative are:

• to express a desire (which is still basically a form of issuing a command, only said a lot nicer)
• to make a request (a very very polite kind of command)
• to give advice (still a form of command if we come to think of it)
• to recommend something (yup, still a command)

THINGS TO REMEMBER WHEN USING THE IMPERATIVE IN FRENCH

• There are two often-used forms of the French imperative, and these correspond to tu and vous. The third form nous is only being used sometimes, and it works the same way we say “let’s” in English.
• The imperative normally has no expressed subject pronoun. Object pronouns are used only when the sentence needs them: Ferme la porte ! has no object pronoun; Ferme-la ! does.
• For most verbs, form the present imperative from the present indicative tu, nous, and vous forms, without those subject pronouns. The tu ending and some irregular verbs require changes; see below.

Example for -er verbs: donner

tu            —–>    donne

nous      —–>     donnons

vous       —–>     donnez

Donne-moi ça! (Give me that!)

Note: In the tu imperative of -er verbs, the final -s is dropped (donne, rather than donnes). Add -s when en or y is attached directly after an affirmative imperative: Donnes-en à ton frère (“Give some to your brother”). Aller similarly gives Va ! but Vas-y ! (“Go ahead!”).

Example for -ir verbs: finir

tu             —–> finis

nous      —–>finissons

vous       —–>finissez

Finissez vos devoirs. (Finish your homework.)

Example for -re verbs: attendre

tu             —–>attends

nous      —–>attendons

vous       —–>attendez

Attendons le bus. (Let’s wait for the bus.)

• There are two kinds of commands where the imperative is being used. These are the affirmative commands and the negative commands. In English, the affirmative command would be like “do this!” while the negative command is the opposite “don’t do that!” In French, the object pronoun which accompanies the imperative changes its position depending on the kind of command being issued.

FOR AFFIRMATIVE COMMANDS, THE OBJECT PRONOUNS COME AFTER THE VERB.

The verb and the pronoun are then linked together with a hyphen.

Examples: 

Excusez-moi. (Excuse me.)

Aide-nous. (Help us.)

So, remember:

FOR NEGATIVE COMMANDS, THE OBJECT PRONOUNS COME BEFORE THE VERB.

Ne… pas is used in this case.

Examples: 

Ne leur parlons pas. (Let’s not speak to them.)

Ne le regardez pas. (Don’t look at him/it.)

Again, remember:

• In affirmative commands with le, la, or les and an indirect object pronoun, the direct object comes first: Donnez-la-nous ! In negative commands, normal preverbal ordering applies: Ne me la donne pas ! (“Don’t give it to me!”).

Examples:

Donnez-la-nous! (Give it to us!)

Prête-les-moi! (Lend them to me!)

Remember:

• The irregular verbs avoir, être, savoir and vouloir have their own imperative forms. These are the following:

Quick Recap

• The three forms for the French imperative are: tu, nous, and vous.
• For most verbs, the imperative resembles the present indicative. Drop the final -s in the tu form of -er verbs, except before attached en/y. Some verbs have irregular imperative forms.
• Object pronouns are used in the imperative.
• For affirmative commands, the object pronoun comes after the verb and both are joined by a hyphen.
• For negative commands, the object pronoun comes before the verb.
• In affirmative commands, le, la, les come before the indirect object pronoun. In negative commands, use the normal order before the verb.

Learn More about the French Imperative:

L’impératif

La conjugaison de l’impératif