Key points about imperatives
The imperative is used to give instructions, advice, commands and orders, eg sit down, open your book or turn left.
The imperative form used depends on who is being spoken to:
duyou, singular informal
Sie you, formal
ihryou, plural
Video
The present tense : How to talk about what you do in German
When you’re talking about something you do or are doing right now, you need the present tense.
Let’s imagine you’re playing something. ‘To play’ is spielen.
Ich spiele - I play
Du spielst - you play
Er spielt - he plays
The ending of the verb changes depending on who is doing the playing.
For spielen - ‘to play’ - and lots of regular verbs you take off the**-en**.
And for ich you add -e, for du you add -st and for er, sie, es you add -t.
Let’s try some other useful verbs like machen - ‘to do’ or ‘to make’.
Ich mache einen Tee- I make tea
Du machst Videos - You make videos.
Er macht Sport - He does sport.
Let’s try gehen -‘ to go’.
Ich gehe in die Schule - I go to school.
Du gehst ins Bett - You go to bed.
Er geht ins Kino - He goes to the cinema.
Some verbs don’t follow this pattern.
Essen - ‘ to eat’ - is irregular because you don’t just take the -en off.
Ich esse Fleisch.
Du isst Bananen.
Sie isst einen Apfel.
So in the present tense ich ends in -e, du ends in -st and er, sie, es end in -t.
And watch out for those irregular verbs!
Using the imperative with du
To give instructions, commands or orders to a friend or family member, a younger person or in an informal setting, the du form of the verb is used.
Remember: It is important to know Used to talk about what is happening now, something which is always done or something ongoing. verb endings.
For Also known as a 'weak verb' meaning there is no spelling change in the stem when the verb is conjugated. weak verbs the imperative is formed by removing the ending -st from the verb and the Words that replace the subject of a sentence, eg 'He read the book' instead of 'James read the book'.du.
For example:
| Infinitive | Present Tense | Imperative | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | Go! |
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | Drink! |
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | Play! |
For Also known as a strong verb. Has a vowel change in the stem when the verb is conjugated.strong verbs there is a spelling change in the stem of the du form of the verb.
The imperative for Also known as a strong verb. Has a vowel change in the stem when the verb is conjugated. verbs is still formed by removing the ending -st from the verb and the subject du. If the irregular verb has an An accent added to the vowels o, a, and u. ö, ä and ü. An umlaut lengthens the sound of the vowel. in the du form, this is also removed in the imperative.
For example:
| Infinitive | Present Tense | Imperative | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | Take! |
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | Travel/Drive/Go! |
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | Read! |
Mini quiz
Translate the following sentences into German using theduform of the imperative.
Drink more water!
Trink mehr Wasser!
Eat more vegetables!
Iss mehr Gemüse!
Using the imperative with du –exceptions
Some verbs do not fit neatly into the simple pattern of removing the -st from the end of the verb to form the imperative with du.
Some key verbs to know are:
| Infinitive | Present Tense | Imperative | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again.to work | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | Work! |
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again.to enjoy | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | Enjoy! |
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again.to read | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | Read! |
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again.to dance | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | Dance! |
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again.to sit | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | Sit! |
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again.to study | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | Study! |
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again.to visit | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | Visit! |
Separable verbs
When using a A verb with a detachable prefix which goes to the end of the sentence when the verb is conjugated in the present tense. in the imperative, the separable prefix goes to the end.
| Infinitive | Present Tense | Imperative | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again.to wake up | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | Wake up! |
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again.to stand/get up | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | Stand up! |
Reflexive verbs
When using a A verb where the action is done to the same person who is doing it, eg I wash myself. in the imperative, the correct A pronoun used with a reflexive verb, such as 'myself', 'yourself', 'herself' and 'himself'. is also needed:
| Infinitive | Present Tense | Imperative | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again.to introduce oneself | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | Introduce yourself! |
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again.to enjoy oneself | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | Enjoy yourself! |
Mini quiz
Translate the following sentences into German.
Enjoy Germany in the summer!
Genieße Deutschland im Sommer!
Call me!
Ruf mich an
Using the imperative with Sie and ihr
To give instructions, commands or orders to someone older, someone unknown or in a formal setting, eg the workplace, the Sie form of the verb is needed.
Remember: Sie must have a capital letter.
For both Also known as a 'weak verb' meaning there is no spelling change in the stem when the verb is conjugated. weak and Also known as a strong verb. Has a vowel change in the stem when the verb is conjugated.strong verbs the imperative is formed by simply switching the Also known as a strong verb. Has a vowel change in the stem when the verb is conjugated. Sie and the A word that describes an action or a state of being. In German, verbs change their endings to match the subject of the sentence. around.
Examples:
| Infinitive | Present Tense | Imperative | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | Take! |
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | Stay! |
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | Eat! |
To give instructions, commands or orders to a group of people, eg a teacher giving instructions to a class, the ihr form of the verb is needed.
The imperative is formed by removing the Also known as a strong verb. Has a vowel change in the stem when the verb is conjugated. ihr only. For example:
| Infinitive | Present Tense | Imperative | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | Play! |
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | Do! |
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | Stand up! |
Mini quiz
Read the following sentences and identify whether thedu, Sieorihrform of the imperative is used.
Nehmt die erste Straße rechts und dann geht geradeaus!
ihr
Take the first street on the right and then go straight on!
Vergiss deine Hausaufgaben nicht!
du
Don’t forget your homework!
Separable verbs
When using a A verb with a detachable prefix which goes to the end of the sentence when the verb is conjugated in the present tense. in the imperative, the separable prefix goes to the end.
The imperative withihr:
| Infinitive | Present Tense | Imperative | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again.to wake up | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | Wake up! |
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again.to stand/get up | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | Stand up! |
Reflexive verbs
When using a A verb where the action is done to the same person who is doing it, eg I wash myself. in the imperative, the correct A pronoun used with a reflexive verb, such as 'myself', 'yourself', 'herself' and 'himself'. is also needed:
UsingSie:
| Infinitive | Present Tense | Imperative | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again.to introduce oneself | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | Introduce yourself! |
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again.to enjoy oneself | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | Enjoy yourselves! |
Using ihr
Usingihr:
| Infinitive | Present Tense | Imperative | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again.to introduce oneself | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | Introduce yourselves! |
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again.to enjoy oneself | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | Enjoy yourselves! |
Using the imperative with sein
The verb seinto be is Also known as a strong verb. Has a vowel change in the stem when the verb is conjugated. in the imperative and it is important to know the du, Sie and ihr forms.
| English | du | Sie | ihr |
|---|---|---|---|
| Be happy! | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. |
| Be punctual! | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. |
| Be careful! | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. |
Quiz
More on Verbs
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