Spanish Imperative: Commands, Requests and Instructions
Learn how the Spanish imperative works for commands, instructions, advice and invitations — from habla and come to no hables, venga and hazlo.
Why the Spanish imperative matters
The imperative appears in real communication all the time: classroom instructions, travel situations, recipes, signs, workplace requests and everyday advice. To use it correctly, learners need more than one form. Spanish distinguishes affirmative and negative commands, informal and formal address, singular and plural forms, irregular commands and pronoun placement.
How to use this page
Use this page as the central entry point for Spanish command forms. Start with the basic function, then compare affirmative and negative forms, and finally move into irregular commands and pronouns.
The imperative is used to tell someone to do something: Escucha, Lee, Ven aquí.
Spanish often changes the verb form when a command becomes negative: habla, but no hables.
Choose between tú, usted, vosotros and ustedes, then place pronouns correctly: dime, hazlo, no me digas.
The core system: affirmative, negative and formal commands
Affirmative commands
Affirmative commands tell someone to do something. Informal tú forms are common in everyday speech.
Habla más despacio. · Come algo. · Vive el momento.
Negative commands
Negative commands tell someone not to do something. They usually use present subjunctive forms.
No hables tan rápido. · No comas eso. · No vayas solo.
Formal commands
With usted and ustedes, Spanish uses formal command forms.
Hable despacio. · Venga aquí. · No se preocupen.
Spanish imperative forms at a glance
The imperative changes according to who receives the command. The most important distinction for learners is between informal tú commands, formal usted commands and plural commands.
| Person | Affirmative command | Negative command | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| tú | habla, come, vive | no hables, no comas, no vivas | Habla conmigo. · No hables ahora. |
| usted | hable, coma, viva | no hable, no coma, no viva | Hable más despacio. · No se preocupe. |
| vosotros | hablad, comed, vivid | no habléis, no comáis, no viváis | Escuchad. · No habléis todos a la vez. |
| ustedes | hablen, coman, vivan | no hablen, no coman, no vivan | Pasen, por favor. · No se olviden. |
Informal tú commands
Informal tú commands are used with people you address directly and informally. Regular affirmative forms often look like third-person singular present-tense forms: habla, come, vive.
Escucha la frase.
Lee el texto.
Escribe la respuesta.
Negative tú commands are different: no escuches, no leas, no escribas. This is why learners should always compare the affirmative and negative forms together.
Irregular imperative forms
Some of the most frequent Spanish commands are irregular. The most important affirmative tú forms are ven, di, haz, ten, ve, pon, sal and sé.
Ven aquí. · Di la verdad. · Hazlo ahora. · Ten cuidado. · Ve a casa. · Pon la mesa. · Sal de aquí. · Sé paciente.
These forms have their own detailed lesson here: Spanish Imperative Irregular Forms.
Pronouns with the Spanish imperative
Pronoun placement is one of the most important parts of the Spanish imperative. With affirmative commands, object and reflexive pronouns are attached to the verb. With negative commands, they go before the verb.
Di la verdad. → Dime la verdad.
Haz el ejercicio. → Hazlo.
No digas eso. → No me digas eso.
No hagas el ejercicio. → No lo hagas.
When pronouns are attached, a written accent may be needed to preserve the original stress: dímelo, házmelo, explícamelo.
When to use the Spanish imperative
Classroom and learning tasks
Use imperatives for exercises, classroom instructions and learning steps.
Lee el texto. · Escucha el audio. · Repite la frase.
Recommendations and guidance
Use commands to give advice, especially with softening expressions.
Practica cada día. · Ten paciencia. · No te preocupes.
Requests and invitations
The imperative can sound direct, but it is common in requests and invitations when used naturally.
Pasa. · Siéntate. · Ven conmigo.
Related grammar topics
Irregular Imperative Forms
Learn ven, di, haz, ten, ve, pon, sal and sé.
Irregular Verbs
Connect command forms with broader irregular verb patterns in Spanish.
Highly Irregular Verbs
Review verbs such as ser, ir, tener, venir, decir and hacer.
Reflexive Verbs
Understand forms such as siéntate, levántate and no te preocupes.
Pronoun Position
Learn why Spanish says dime, but no me digas.
Present Subjunctive
Understand the forms behind no hables, venga, diga and hagan.
Typical mistakes with the Spanish imperative
- Using the affirmative form after no: say no hables, not no habla.
- Forgetting irregular tú commands: say ven, di, haz, ten, ve, pon, sal and sé.
- Putting pronouns in the wrong place: say hazlo, but no lo hagas.
- Using informal commands in formal situations: with usted, use forms such as hable, venga and diga.
- Forgetting accents with attached pronouns: forms such as dímelo and házmelo need written accents.
Where to go next
After the general imperative, continue with irregular command forms, pronoun position and the present subjunctive forms used in negative and formal commands.
Want personal guidance?
If Spanish commands feel difficult, individual guidance can help you practise affirmative commands, negative commands, formal address and pronoun placement in real communication.
FAQ: Spanish imperative
What is the Spanish imperative?
The Spanish imperative is the verb form used for commands, instructions, requests, invitations and advice.
How do you form regular tú commands in Spanish?
Regular affirmative tú commands often use forms like habla, come and vive.
How do negative tú commands work?
Negative tú commands usually use present subjunctive forms: no hables, no comas, no vivas.
What are common irregular imperative forms?
Common irregular affirmative tú commands are ven, di, haz, ten, ve, pon, sal and sé.
Where do pronouns go with Spanish commands?
With affirmative commands, pronouns are attached to the verb: dime, hazlo. With negative commands, they go before the verb: no me digas, no lo hagas.
Are usted commands different from tú commands?
Yes. Formal usted commands use forms such as hable, coma, venga, diga and haga.
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