Spanish Affirmative Commands Conjugation

Want to sound like a native Spanish speaker? Affirmative commands are the key to giving orders, instructions, or friendly advice. This guide breaks down everything you need to know about forming and using these essential verbs in everyday situations.

Forming Affirmative Commands: Simple Steps

1. Tú Commands (Informal):
   • Regular Verbs: Use the 3rd person singular form of the present indicative.
     • Example: hablar → habla (speak), comer → come (eat), vivir → vive (live)
   • Irregular Verbs: These have unique forms, so it’s best to memorize them.
     • Example: ir → ve (go), ser → sé (be), hacer → haz (do/make)
2. Usted/Ustedes Commands (Formal):
   • Use the present subjunctive forms.
     • Example: hable (usted – speak), hablen (ustedes – speak), coma (usted – eat), coman (ustedes – eat)
3. Vosotros Commands (Informal):
   • Remove the final “r” from the infinitive and add “d.”
     • Example: hablar → hablad (speak), comer → comed (eat), vivir → vivid (live)

Using Affirmative Commands in Real-Life Scenarios

1. Giving Instructions:
   • “Abre la puerta, por favor.” (Open the door, please.)
2. Offering Advice (with a Friendly Tone):
   • “Come más verduras para estar saludable.” (Eat more vegetables to be healthy.)
3. Making Requests (Politely):
   • “Pase usted primero.” (You go first. – Formal)
4. Giving Directions:
   • “Gire a la derecha en la próxima calle.” (Turn right at the next street. – Formal)

Important Tips for Mastering Commands

• Pronoun Placement: Attach object pronouns (me, te, lo, la, nos, os, los, las) to the end of affirmative commands.
  • Example: “Dímelo” (Tell me), “Cómetelo” (Eat it)
• Accent Marks: When adding pronouns, you might need an accent to keep the original stress.
  • Example: “da” + “me” + “lo” → “dámelo”
• Reflexive Verbs: The reflexive pronoun also goes at the end.
  • Example: “siéntate” (sit down), “lávense las manos” (wash your hands – plural/formal)

Key Takeaways

• Affirmative commands are essential for clear communication in Spanish.
• Different levels of formality require different verb forms (tú, usted/ustedes, vosotros).
• Mastering pronoun placement and accents will make you sound even more fluent!

Synonyms:

• English: Imperative Mood (Affirmative), Affirmative Imperatives, Positive Commands
• Spanish: Imperative Mood (Affirmative), Affirmative Imperatives, Mandatos Afirmativos, Modo Imperativo Afirmativo, Órdenes Afirmativas