Imperative verbs are used to order or to ask for something, usually found in a main sentence (not subordinate) as well as used only in present tense. The verb will change depending if used as affirmative or negative.
A common mistake that also happens to native speakers, is the use of infinitive instead of imperative conjugation. Example: Cambiaos la ropa // cambiaros la ropa (this is not correct written). There are two cases when use of infinitive is accepted: an order given to general public (cerrar la puerta al salir), or when the verb is preceeded by preposition ‘a’: A comer.
Below are three regular verbs in imperative conjugation, first table in affirmative use, second table in negative use.
-ar
-er
-ir
Tú
habla
bebe
escribe
Usted
hable
beba
escriba
Vosotros
hablad
bebed
escribid
Ustedes
hablen
beban
escriban
-ar
-er
-ir
Tú
(no)hables
(no)bebas
(no)escribas
Usted
(no)hable
(no)beba
(no)escriba
Vosotros
(no)habléis
(no)bebáis
(no)escribáis
Ustedes
(no)hablen
(no)beban
(no)escriban
Use of imperative in irregular verbs:
Estar
To be
Tú
estate
Usted
esté
Vosotros
estaos
Ustedes
esténse
Ser
To be
Tú
se
Usted
sea
Vosotros
sed
Ustedes
sean
Hacer
To do
Tú
haz
Usted
haga
Vosotros
haced
Ustedes
hagan
Ir
To go
Tú
ve
Usted
vaya
Vosotros
id
Ustedes
vayan
Imperative + personal pronoun
Affirmative
Trae la comida
tráela
Compra el pan
cómpralo
Dáme el libro
dámelo
Pruebatelas zapatillas
pruebatelas
Negative
No traigas la comida
no la traigas
No compres el pan
no lo compres
no me des el libro
no me lo des
no te pruebes las zapatillas
no te las pruebes
More content about verb tense forms available in Conjugation page.
