Topics
BeginnerImperatives
How commands, requests and instructions are formed in Spanish, English and Chinese.
Compare languages
English imperatives use the base form with optional 'please'. Spanish imperatives are fully conjugated and change form for positive vs negative. Chinese imperatives use the verb directly, with 吧 for softening and 别 for negation.
Overview
Imperatives express commands, requests, instructions, and suggestions.
- Spanish: Fully conjugated with distinct forms for each person. Positive and negative forms differ (indicative vs subjunctive). Object pronouns attach to positive imperatives.
- English: Uses the base form of the verb for all persons. Negation with don’t. Very simple but relies heavily on intonation and politeness markers.
- Chinese: Uses the verb directly. Particles (吧, 啊, 嘛) soften or strengthen the tone. 别 negates. No person or tense marking.
Spanish
Person-specific forms
Spanish imperatives change for each person:
| Positive | Negative | |
|---|---|---|
| tú (informal sing) | ¡Ven! | ¡No vengas! |
| usted (formal sing) | ¡Venga! | ¡No venga! |
| vosotros (informal pl Spain) | ¡Venid! | ¡No vengáis! |
| ustedes (formal pl / Latin Am) | ¡Vengan! | ¡No vengan! |
Rule: Negative imperatives use the subjunctive.
Common irregular imperatives
| Verb | tú | usted | vosotros | ustedes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| venir | ven | venga | venid | vengan |
| ir | ve | vaya | id | vayan |
| ser | sé | sea | sed | sean |
| tener | ten | tenga | tened | tengan |
| hacer | haz | haga | haced | hagan |
| decir | di | diga | decid | digan |
| poner | pon | ponga | poned | pongan |
| salir | sal | salga | salid | salgan |
Object pronouns with imperatives
In positive imperatives, pronouns attach to the verb:
- ¡Dime! (Tell me!)
- ¡Cuéntamelo! (Tell it to me!)
- ¡Siéntate! (Sit down!)
In negative imperatives, pronouns precede the verb:
- ¡No me digas! (Don’t tell me!)
- ¡No te sientes! (Don’t sit down!)
Politeness strategies
- ¡Pase! (Come in! — formal)
- ¡Pasa! (Come in! — informal)
- Venga, por favor. (Please come.)
- Haga el favor de esperar. (Please wait.)
English
Base form for all
English uses the base form for everyone:
- Come!
- Sit down!
- Listen!
- Be quiet!
Negative
Add don’t (do not):
- Don’t come!
- Don’t be late!
- Don’t worry!
Let’s for inclusive
Let’s (let us) includes the speaker:
- Let’s go!
- Let’s eat!
- Let’s not argue. (negative)
Softening
English softens imperatives with various strategies:
| Strategy | Example |
|---|---|
| Please | Please sit down. |
| Question form | Would you sit down? |
| Suggestion | Why don’t you sit down? |
| Softener | Just sit down. / Sit down, will you? |
| Polite formula | Would you mind sitting down? |
Imperative with subject
English can add a subject for emphasis or clarification:
- You sit here, and you sit there.
- Somebody call a doctor!
- Don’t you dare!
Chinese
Bare imperatives
Chinese imperatives use the verb directly:
- 来！(Come!)
- 坐！(Sit!)
- 听！(Listen!)
- 走！(Go!)
Softening with 吧
吧 softens commands into suggestions:
- 来吧！(Come on! / Let’s come.)
- 坐吧！(Have a seat.)
- 我们走吧！(Let’s go!)
Other particles
| Particle | Tone | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 啊 | Friendly, urging | 快来啊！(Hurry and come!) |
| 嘛 | Persuasive | 来嘛！(Come on, please!) |
| 呀 | Exclamatory | 快点呀！(Hurry up!) |
Negative: 别
别 negates imperatives:
- 别来！(Don’t come!)
- 别担心！(Don’t worry!)
- 别走！(Don’t go!)
不要 as stronger negative
不要 is more emphatic:
- 不要碰！(Don’t touch!)
- 不要忘记！(Don’t forget!)
请 for polite requests
请 (please) precedes the verb:
- 请坐。(Please sit.)
- 请进。(Please come in.)
- 请问…(Excuse me, may I ask…)
Let’s: 我们…吧
Chinese uses 我们 + verb + 吧 for inclusive suggestions:
- 我们吃饭吧！(Let’s eat!)
- 我们走吧！(Let’s go!)
Comparison at a glance
| Feature | Spanish | English | Chinese |
|---|---|---|---|
| Form | Conjugated per person | Base form (all persons) | Verb directly |
| Negative | subjunctive form | don’t + verb | 别 / 不要 + verb |
| Positive vs negative | Different forms | Same + don’t | Same + 别 |
| Politeness | pronoun choice (tú/usted) | please / question form | 请 / 吧 / 啊 |
| Inclusive let’s | Vamos a / Vamos | Let’s + verb | 我们 + verb + 吧 |
| Pronoun placement | Attached (pos) / before (neg) | Before verb | Before verb |
| Irregular forms | Many (ven, di, haz, pon…) | Be (be careful) | None |
Examples in context
Come here!
- ES: ¡Ven aquí! (tú) / ¡Venga aquí! (usted)
- EN: Come here!
- ZH: 过来！ / 过来吧！
Don’t worry
- ES: ¡No te preocupes!
- EN: Don’t worry!
- ZH: 别担心！
Please sit down
- ES: Siéntese, por favor.
- EN: Please sit down. / Would you sit down?
- ZH: 请坐。 / 坐下吧。
Let’s go
- ES: ¡Vamos!
- EN: Let’s go!
- ZH: 我们走吧！
Common mistakes
-
English speakers learning Spanish: Using base form for all: venir → ¡Ven!
-
English speakers learning Spanish: Positive form for negative: No ven → No vengas
-
English speakers learning Chinese: Adding ‘do’: 做来 → 来
-
Chinese speakers learning English: Omitting subject in emphatic commands: Sit here (ambiguous) → You sit here, and she sits there.
Related topics
- Pronouns: How object pronouns attach to Spanish imperatives
- Modals: How polite requests use modals instead of imperatives
- Questions: How question forms soften commands
- Verb Tenses: How subjunctive forms are used in negative imperatives
Examples
Positive command (Come!)
¡Ven! (tú) / ¡Venga! (usted)
Negative command (Don't come!)
¡No vengas!
Formal request
Venga usted / Venga, por favor
Person-specific forms
Yes (tú, usted, vosotros, ustedes)
Reflexive imperatives
¡Siéntate! / ¡Levántate!
Softening particle
por favor / a ver
Examples
Positive command (Come!)
Come!
Negative command (Don't come!)
Don't come!
Formal request
Please come / Would you come?
Person-specific forms
No (same for all)
Reflexive imperatives
Sit down! / Get up!
Softening particle
please / just / why don't you
Examples
Positive command (Come!)
来！ / 来吧！
Negative command (Don't come!)
别来！
Formal request
请来一下
Person-specific forms
No (same for all)
Reflexive imperatives
坐下！ / 起来！
Softening particle
吧 / 啊 / 嘛
Comparison at a glance
| Grammar concepts | Spanish | English | Chinese |
|---|---|---|---|
| Positive command (Come!) | ¡Ven! (tú) / ¡Venga! (usted) | Come! | 来！ / 来吧！ |
| Negative command (Don't come!) | ¡No vengas! | Don't come! | 别来！ |
| Formal request | Venga usted / Venga, por favor | Please come / Would you come? | 请来一下 |
| Person-specific forms | Yes (tú, usted, vosotros, ustedes) | No (same for all) | No (same for all) |
| Reflexive imperatives | ¡Siéntate! / ¡Levántate! | Sit down! / Get up! | 坐下！ / 起来！ |
| Softening particle | por favor / a ver | please / just / why don't you | 吧 / 啊 / 嘛 |
Select at least one language to view comparisons
Side-by-side comparison
| Grammar concepts | Spanish | English | Chinese |
|---|---|---|---|
| Positive command (Come!) | ¡Ven! (tú) / ¡Venga! (usted) | Come! | 来！ / 来吧！ |
| Negative command (Don't come!) | ¡No vengas! | Don't come! | 别来！ |
| Formal request | Venga usted / Venga, por favor | Please come / Would you come? | 请来一下 |
| Person-specific forms | Yes (tú, usted, vosotros, ustedes) | No (same for all) | No (same for all) |
| Reflexive imperatives | ¡Siéntate! / ¡Levántate! | Sit down! / Get up! | 坐下！ / 起来！ |
| Softening particle | por favor / a ver | please / just / why don't you | 吧 / 啊 / 嘛 |
Select at least one language to view comparisons
Examples in context
Positive command (Come!)
Spanish
¡Ven! (tú) / ¡Venga! (usted)
English
Come!
Chinese
来！ / 来吧！
Negative command (Don't come!)
Spanish
¡No vengas!
English
Don't come!
Chinese
别来！
Formal request
Spanish
Venga usted / Venga, por favor
English
Please come / Would you come?
Chinese
请来一下
Person-specific forms
Spanish
Yes (tú, usted, vosotros, ustedes)
English
No (same for all)
Chinese
No (same for all)
Reflexive imperatives
Spanish
¡Siéntate! / ¡Levántate!
English
Sit down! / Get up!
Chinese
坐下！ / 起来！
Softening particle
Spanish
por favor / a ver
English
please / just / why don't you
Chinese
吧 / 啊 / 嘛
Select at least one language to view comparisons
Key Takeaways
Spanish: Fully conjugated with distinct forms for each person. Positive and negative forms differ (indicative vs subjunctive). Object pronouns attach...
English: Uses the base form of the verb for all persons. Negation with don't. Very simple but relies heavily on intonation and politeness markers.
Chinese: Uses the verb directly. Particles (吧bā, 啊ā, 嘛má) soften or strengthen the tone. 别bié negates. No person or tense marking.
Key concepts compared: Positive command (Come!), Negative command (Don't come!), Formal request.
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Last updated: June 4, 2026