How to learn Learn about the imperative in German

Learn about the imperative in German

The imperative in German

The imperative in German (der Imperativ) is a mood in German grammar that expresses orders and commands . The German imperative only exists in the second person singular (du), plural (ihr) and polite form (Sie) as well as in the first person plural (wir) .

Original forms for the imperative :

The original imperative only has 2nd person singular and plural forms, the clause lacking a subject.

How to form the German imperative ?

Sie/wir :

We form the imperative for the 1st person plural wir and the polite form Sie in the same way: infinitive + Sie/wir. Ex : Gehen Sie! / Gehen wir !

We add an additional e to the verb sein to help with pronunciation. Ex : Seien Sie ehrlich !

ihr :

For the 2nd person plural ihr, we simply use the simple present of the verb without the subject pronoun . Ex: Seid ehrlich !

du :

We normally form the imperative for du by removing the ending en from the infinitive. Ex : Sei ehrlich!

In the case of auxiliary verbs :

In the imperative , auxiliary verbs don’t follow any rule and you have to memorize them . Fortunately, there are only 3.

Forms added to the imperative :

The conjugation of the imperative with forms added on is very simple: You just have to know the infinitive of the verb + to whom the order is given (wir [we] o Sie [you formal]).

Finally , to form negation with the imperative , the particle “nicht” is simply added .

You are so lazy – don’t be so lazy!	D- b— s- f— – s– d— n—- s- f—! Du bist so faul – sei doch nicht so faul!
You sleep for so long – don’t sleep so late!	D- s——- s- l— – s—– d— n—- s- l—! Du schläfst so lang – schlaf doch nicht so lang!
You come home so late – don’t come home so late!	D- k—– s- s— – k— d— n—- s- s—! Du kommst so spät – komm doch nicht so spät!

You laugh so loudly – don’t laugh so loudly!	D- l—– s- l— – l— d— n—- s- l—! Du lachst so laut – lach doch nicht so laut!
You speak so softly – don’t speak so softly!	D- s——- s- l—- – s—– d— n—- s- l—-! Du sprichst so leise – sprich doch nicht so leise!
You drink too much – don’t drink so much!	D- t—— z- v— – t—- d— n—- s- v—! Du trinkst zu viel – trink doch nicht so viel!

You smoke too much – don’t smoke so much!	D- r—— z- v— – r—- d— n—- s- v—! Du rauchst zu viel – rauch doch nicht so viel!
You work too much – don’t work so much!	D- a——– z- v— – a—— d— n—- s- v—! Du arbeitest zu viel – arbeite doch nicht so viel!
You drive too fast – don’t drive so fast!	D- f—– s- s—— – f— d— n—- s- s——! Du fährst so schnell – fahr doch nicht so schnell!

Get up, Mr. Miller!	S—– S– a–, H— M—–! Stehen Sie auf, Herr Müller!
Sit down, Mr. Miller!	S—– S– s—, H— M—–! Setzen Sie sich, Herr Müller!
Remain seated, Mr. Miller!	B—— S– s—–, H— M—–! Bleiben Sie sitzen, Herr Müller!

Be patient!	H—- S– G—–! Haben Sie Geduld!
Take your time!	N—– S– s— Z—! Nehmen Sie sich Zeit!
Wait a moment!	W—– S– e—- M—–! Warten Sie einen Moment!

Be careful!	S—- S– v———! Seien Sie vorsichtig!
Be punctual!	S—- S– p——–! Seien Sie pünktlich!
Don’t be stupid!	S—- S– n—- d—! Seien Sie nicht dumm!

The imperative in German

Original forms for the imperative :

How to form the German imperative ?

In the case of auxiliary verbs :

Forms added to the imperative :

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