Spanish affirmative commands, or direct orders, with verbs ending in -GUIR have a unique spelling tweak: the ‘u’ disappears. This keeps the pronunciation accurate while adhering to Spanish spelling conventions.
Conjugation Pattern for Affirmative Commands
We use the present subjunctive for all persons except ‘tú’, which uses the third-person singular of the present indicative.
| Person | Ending |
|---|---|
| tú | -gue |
| usted | -ga |
| nosotros | -gamos |
| vosotros | -guid |
| ustedes | -gan |
Example Verbs
1. Seguir (to follow)
| Person | Command Form |
|---|---|
| tú | sigue |
| usted | siga |
| nosotros | sigamos |
| vosotros | seguid |
| ustedes | sigan |
Example sentence: “Sigue las instrucciones cuidadosamente.” (Follow the instructions carefully.)
2. Distinguir (to distinguish)
| Person | Command Form |
|---|---|
| tú | distingue |
| usted | distinga |
| nosotros | distingamos |
| vosotros | distinguid |
| ustedes | distingan |
Example sentence: “Distinga entre los hechos y las opiniones.” (Distinguish between facts and opinions.)
Other Common -GUIR Verbs
- Conseguir (to get, to obtain)
- Example: “Consigamos los boletos con anticipación.” (Let’s get the tickets in advance.)
- Extinguir (to extinguish)
- Example: “Extinga el fuego inmediatamente.” (Extinguish the fire immediately.)
- Proseguir (to proceed, to continue)
- Example: “Prosigamos con la reunión.” (Let’s proceed with the meeting.)
- Perseguir (to pursue, to chase)
- Example: “No persigan metas inalcanzables.” (Don’t pursue unattainable goals.)
Key takeaway: This spelling change happens in all affirmative command forms. The ‘u’ is dropped to maintain the hard ‘g’ sound before ‘a’ and ‘o’.
Pronunciation Matters!
Even though we drop the ‘u’ in writing, the pronunciation stays the same as the infinitive. The ‘gui’ sound is kept:
- Seguir → Sigue (pronounced as “SEE-geh”, not “SEE-heh”)
- Distinguir → Distingue (pronounced as “dees-TEEN-geh”, not “dees-TEEN-heh”)
This rule ensures the hard ‘g’ sound is consistent across all command forms.
By mastering this rule, you’ll confidently give commands with -GUIR verbs, showcasing your understanding of Spanish pronunciation and grammar. ¡Adelante!
Synonyms:
- English: -GUIR Spelling-Change Verbs in Imperative Mood, Positive Commands, Direct Commands, Affirmative Imperatives
- Spanish: Verbos en -GUIR
- Spanish affirmative commands, or direct orders, with verbs ending in -GUIR have a unique spelling tweak: the ‘u’ disappears. This keeps the pronunciation accurate while adhering to Spanish spelling conventions.
- Conjugation Pattern for Affirmative Commands
- We use the present subjunctive for all persons except ‘tú’, which uses the third-person singular of the present indicative.
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- Example Verbs
- 1. Seguir (to follow)
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- Example sentence: “Sigue las instrucciones cuidadosamente.” (Follow the instructions carefully.)
- 2. Distinguir (to distinguish)
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- Example sentence: “Distinga entre los hechos y las opiniones.” (Distinguish between facts and opinions.)
- Other Common -GUIR Verbs
- Conseguir (to get, to obtain)
- Example: “Consigamos los boletos con anticipación.” (Let’s get the tickets in advance.)
- Extinguir (to extinguish)
- Example: “Extinga el fuego inmediatamente.” (Extinguish the fire immediately.)
- Proseguir (to proceed, to continue)
- Example: “Prosigamos con la reunión.” (Let’s proceed with the meeting.)
- Perseguir (to pursue, to chase)
- Example: “No persigan metas inalcanzables.” (Don’t pursue unattainable goals.)
- Key takeaway: This spelling change happens in all affirmative command forms. The ‘u’ is dropped to maintain the hard ‘g’ sound before ‘a’ and ‘o’.
- Pronunciation Matters!
- Even though we drop the ‘u’ in writing, the pronunciation stays the same as the infinitive. The ‘gui’ sound is kept:
- Seguir → Sigue (pronounced as “SEE-geh”, not “SEE-heh”)
- Distinguir → Distingue (pronounced as “dees-TEEN-geh”, not “dees-TEEN-heh”)
- This rule ensures the hard ‘g’ sound is consistent across all command forms.
- By mastering this rule, you’ll confidently give commands with -GUIR verbs, showcasing your understanding of Spanish pronunciation and grammar. ¡Adelante!
- con Cambios Ortográficos en Imperativo Afirmativo, Modo Imperativo Afirmativo, Mandatos Afirmativos, Órdenes Afirmativas