CONTENT
  1. How to Use Informal Commands
  2. Informal Commands - Form
  3. How to Use Formal Commands
  4. Formal Commands - Form
  5. Commands in Negative Sentences
  6. Commands with Pronouns

Los mandatos (commands) are used to give instructions or orders.

As you probably already know, in Spanish, there is the formal register and the informal register. Therefore, there are two types of commands: formal and informal.

Spanish

English

Cocina el desayuno.

Make breakfast.

Escriba su nombre aquí señor.

Write your name here Sir.

How to Use Informal Commands

Regla 1. Informal commands are used to tell anyone you would address as to do something. That is friends, close family members, etc. When using informal commands, it is not common to add the pronoun .

Spanish

English

(Tú) Come más lento.

Eat slower.

Informal Commands - Form

Rule 2. The form of informal commands is quite simple. Just conjugate the verb in the third-person singular (él/ella/usted) of the present indicative of regular verbs. In this example, let's use the verb correr:

Subject PronounPresent Indicative Conjugation
él, ella, usted corre
Subject PronounPresent Indicative Conjugation
él, ella, usted corre

To differentiate between an informal command and the third-person conjugation of the present indicative, pay attention to the conversation's context.

Spanish

English

Alejandra, contesta el teléfono, está suene y suene.

Alejandra, answer the phone, it keeps ringing.

How to Use Formal Commands

Rule 3. As you might imagine, formal commands are used to give instructionsto someone you would approach as usted. That is elderly people, authorities, customer service workers, etc. When using formal commands, it is common to add the pronoun usted.

Spanish

English

¿Usted come picante?

Do you eat spicy food?

Formal Commands - Form

To craft formal mandates, follow the rules below:

Rule 4. Conjugate the verb in the first person (yo) of the present indicative. Let's use the verb hablar as an example.

Subject PronounsPresent Indicative Conjugation
yo hablo
Subject PronounsPresent Indicative Conjugation
yo hablo

Rule 5. Drop the -o ending, and add the corresponding endings to each verb:

Verb TypeTo form a formal command addFormal Command
Verbs ending in -ar such as cocinar e, en hable, hablen
Verbs ending in -er such as comer a, an coma, coman
Verbs ending in -ir such as escribir a, an escriba, escriban
Verb TypeTo form a formal command addFormal Command
Verbs ending in -ar such as cocinar e, en hable, hablen
Verbs ending in -er such as comer a, an coma, coman
Verbs ending in -ir such as escribir a, an escriba, escriban

Spanish

English

Por favor hable a la farmacia, compre esta medicina. No pida que se lo envíen a domicilio.

Please call the pharmacy, buy this medicine. Do not ask for home delivery.

Commands in Negative Sentences

Rule 6. Forming negative commands is quite simple. For formal commands, just add a negative word before the command.

Spanish

English

No compre comida chatarra.

Do not buy junk food.

Rule 7. For informal commands, follow the same steps as to create affirmative formal commands, but in this case, add the following endings:

Verb TypeTo form negative informal commands addNegative Informal Command
Verbs ending in -ar such as hablar es No hables
Verbs ending in -er such as comer as No comas
Verbs ending in -ir such as escribir as No escribas
Verb TypeTo form negative informal commands addNegative Informal Command
Verbs ending in -ar such as hablar es No hables
Verbs ending in -er such as comer as No comas
Verbs ending in -ir such as escribir as No escribas

Commands with Pronouns

Rule 8. When using affirmative commands with pronouns, the pronouns are attached to the end of the verb.

Spanish

English

Compra el libro hoy en la tarde.
Cómpralo hoy en la tarde.

Buy the book today afternoon.
Buy it today afternoon.

Rule 9. Remember that double-object pronouns cannot be separated, and the indirect object pronoun goes before the direct object pronoun.

Spanish

English

Cómpraselo hoy en la tarde.

Buy it for him today in the afternoon.

Rule 10. To form negative sentences with commands and pronouns, add the negative word before the pronouns.

Spanish

English

No lo compre (usted).

No lo compres (tú).

Don't buy it.

Quiz

1/4

Change the following verb to make it an informal mandate

Llamar

0

correct answers.