Imperative Endings (e.g., -i, -j, -mo, -te)
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Use the imperative to give orders, advice, or make requests by attaching -i, -j, -mo, or -te to the verb stem.
- Find the 3rd person plural present (e.g., rade) and drop the ending to get the stem.
- Add -i (ti), -imo (mi), -ite (Vi/vi) if the stem ends in a consonant (Radi!).
- Add -j, -jmo, -jte if the stem ends in a vowel (Čitaj!).
Standard Imperative Endings
| Person | Consonant Stem (-i group) | Vowel Stem (-j group) | Example (Raditi vs. Čitati) |
|---|---|---|---|
|
ti (2nd sg)
|
-i
|
-j
|
Radi! / Čitaj!
|
|
mi (1st pl)
|
-imo
|
-jmo
|
Radimo! / Čitajmo!
|
|
vi/Vi (2nd pl)
|
-ite
|
-jte
|
Radite! / Čitajte!
|
|
on/ona/ono
|
neka + present
|
neka + present
|
Neka radi! / Neka čita!
|
|
oni/one/ona
|
neka + present
|
neka + present
|
Neka rade! / Neka čitaju!
|
Common Irregular Imperatives
| Infinitive | 2nd Sg (ti) | 1st Pl (mi) | 2nd Pl (vi) |
|---|---|---|---|
|
biti (to be)
|
budi
|
budimo
|
budite
|
|
ići (to go)
|
idi
|
idimo
|
idite
|
|
reći (to say)
|
reci
|
recimo
|
recite
|
|
stati (to stop)
|
stani
|
stanimo
|
stanite
|
|
dati (to give)
|
daj
|
dajmo
|
dajte
|
Meanings
The imperative mood is used to express commands, orders, requests, suggestions, or prohibitions directly to one or more people.
Direct Command
Giving a firm order that expects immediate compliance.
“Stani!”
“Šuti!”
Polite Request
Asking someone to do something, usually softened with 'molim' (please).
“Dodajte mi sol, molim Vas.”
“Otvorite prozor.”
Advice or Suggestion
Offering guidance or recommending a course of action.
“Uzmi kišobran, padat će kiša.”
“Pazi na sebe.”
Instructions
Step-by-step guidance found in recipes, manuals, or directions.
“Pomiješajte brašno i vodu.”
“Skrenite lijevo kod crkve.”
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
|
Affirmative (ti)
|
Stem + i/j
|
Pij! (Drink!)
|
|
Affirmative (vi)
|
Stem + ite/jte
|
Pijte! (Drink!)
|
|
Negative (ti)
|
Nemoj + Infinitive
|
Nemoj piti! (Don't drink!)
|
|
Negative (vi)
|
Nemojte + Infinitive
|
Nemojte piti! (Don't drink!)
|
|
Negative (mi)
|
Nemojmo + Infinitive
|
Nemojmo piti! (Let's not drink!)
|
|
Polite Request
|
Imperative + molim Vas
|
Dođite, molim Vas. (Come, please.)
|
|
Third Person
|
Neka + Present Tense
|
Neka on pije. (Let him drink.)
|
|
Hortative
|
Hajde + Imperative
|
Hajde pij! (Come on, drink!)
|
Spectre de formalité
Dajte mi knjigu, molim Vas. (Library vs. Home)
Daj mi knjigu. (Library vs. Home)
Daj knjigu. (Library vs. Home)
Dajder tu knjigu. (Library vs. Home)
Functions of the Imperative
Commands
- Stani! Stop!
- Slušaj! Listen!
Requests
- Daj mi... Give me...
- Pomozi mi Help me
Advice
- Pazi! Watch out!
- Uživaj! Enjoy!
Choosing the Right Ending
Does the 3rd pl. present end in -e?
Does it end in -u or -ju?
Exemples par niveau
Dođi ovamo.
Come here.
Sjedni, molim te.
Sit down, please.
Pij vodu.
Drink water.
Čitaj polako.
Read slowly.
Nemoj zaboraviti ključeve.
Don't forget the keys.
Otvorite prozor, molim Vas.
Open the window, please.
Kupimo kruh u pekari.
Let's buy bread at the bakery.
Pišite zadaću svaki dan.
Write your homework every day.
Pazi kako voziš!
Watch how you drive!
Reci mi što se dogodilo.
Tell me what happened.
Nemojte se brinuti oko toga.
Don't worry about that.
Probajmo ovaj novi restoran.
Let's try this new restaurant.
Peci kolač na 180 stupnjeva.
Bake the cake at 180 degrees.
Budi pametan i šuti.
Be smart and keep quiet.
Ne ulazi bez kucanja!
Do not enter without knocking!
Javite nam se čim stignete.
Contact us as soon as you arrive.
Neka bude svjetlo.
Let there be light.
Ma, pusti ga na miru.
Oh, leave him alone.
Slušaj dobro što ću ti reći.
Listen carefully to what I'm going to tell you.
Daj mi da vidim to.
Let me see that.
Hajd' polako, nemaj straha.
Go slowly, have no fear.
Smiri se i saberi misli.
Calm down and collect your thoughts.
Ne daji mu povoda za svađu.
Don't give him cause for an argument.
Učini kako ti je volja.
Do as you wish.
Facile à confondre
The 2nd person singular present 'radiš' and imperative 'radi' look similar.
Learners use 'Ne' for all prohibitions.
Choosing between 'Pij' and 'Popij'.
Erreurs courantes
Ne dođi!
Nemoj doći!
Čitai!
Čitaj!
Radiš!
Radi!
Budiš!
Budi!
Pekite!
Pecite!
Čitajte mi!
Čitaj mi!
Nemojte radi!
Nemojte raditi!
Kupuj kruh!
Kupi kruh!
Structures de phrases
Molim te, ___ (verb) mi ___ (noun).
Nemoj ___ (infinitive) jer ___ (reason).
Prvo ___ (verb), a onda ___ (verb).
Neka ___ (person) ___ (present verb).
Real World Usage
Dajte mi jedan burek, molim Vas.
Skrenite lijevo za dvjesto metara.
Dođi do mene kasnije.
Recite nam nešto o svom iskustvu.
Lajkajte i zapratite moj profil!
Zovite hitnu pomoć!
The 'Nemoj' Shortcut
Watch the 'Vi'
Softening with 'Hajde'
The 'Molim' Rule
Smart Tips
Use 'Ajde' before your imperative. It softens the command and makes you sound much more fluent.
Default to the 'Nemoj' + Infinitive construction for negatives. It's a safe haven for learners.
Always use the 'Vi' form 'Dajte mi' even if the waiter is younger than you. It's the standard of politeness.
Expect a consonant shift in the imperative (k->c, g->z).
Prononciation
Falling Tone
Imperatives usually have a sharp falling tone on the first syllable to indicate a command.
Short 'i'
The final -i in forms like 'radi' is short and crisp.
Command Intonation
STAni! (High to Low)
Urgency and authority
Mémorise-le
Moyen mnémotechnique
Remember 'I-J-MO-TE': I and J are the starters, MO is for 'mi' (we), and TE is for 'vi' (you all).
Association visuelle
Imagine a traffic warden with a giant 'I' on one hand and a 'J' on the other, shouting 'Radi!' and 'Čitaj!' to passing cars.
Rhyme
If it ends in -e, use -i you see. If it ends in -u, a -j will do!
Story
A king (Ti) commands with -i, a group of friends (Mi) suggests with -imo, and a polite servant (Vi) requests with -ite. They all live in the land of 'Nemoj' where they never say 'Ne' directly.
Word Web
Défi
Go through your kitchen and name 5 actions in the imperative (e.g., 'Otvori hladnjak!', 'Uzmi jabuku!').
Notes culturelles
Directness is valued. Using the imperative without 'molim' is common among friends and doesn't sound rude.
In Dalmatia, the final 'i' is often dropped in speech.
The use of 'hajde' (often shortened to 'ajde') is extremely common to soften or encourage an action.
Derived from the Proto-Slavic imperative, which was originally an optative mood (expressing wishes).
Amorces de conversation
Reci mi, što trebam raditi u Zagrebu?
Daj mi savjet: kako naučiti hrvatski?
Objasni mi put do tvoje kuće.
Nemojte se ljutiti, ali možete li mi pomoći?
Sujets d'écriture
Erreurs courantes
Test Yourself
___ (raditi) brže!
Molim Vas, ___.
Find and fix the mistake:
Ne zaboravi ključeve!
Ti piješ vodu. -> ___ vodu!
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
A: Konobaru! ___ (dati) mi račun. B: Odmah, gospodine.
Identify the non-imperative form.
The imperative of 'biti' is 'jesi'.
Score: /8
Exercices pratiques
8 exercises___ (raditi) brže!
Molim Vas, ___.
Find and fix the mistake:
Ne zaboravi ključeve!
Ti piješ vodu. -> ___ vodu!
1. Čitati, 2. Ići, 3. Biti, 4. Reći
A: Konobaru! ___ (dati) mi račun. B: Odmah, gospodine.
Identify the non-imperative form.
The imperative of 'biti' is 'jesi'.
Score: /8
FAQ (8)
No, you cannot command yourself in the first person singular. You would use the future tense or a construction like `Moram...` (I must).
`Ne radi` is a direct, often harsh prohibition. `Nemoj raditi` is the standard, more common way to say 'Don't do it'.
This is due to a historical consonant shift called sibilarizacija, where 'k' becomes 'c' before the 'i' ending.
Technically it's present tense, but it is used 99% of the time to mean 'Let's go!', replacing the formal imperative `Idimo!`.
Use the `Vi` form (ending in -ite/-jte) and add `molim Vas` at the end.
The verb conjugates normally, and the `se` particle follows it: `Umij se!` (Wash yourself!).
No, the imperative only refers to the present or future actions.
`Neka` is a particle used to form third-person commands, translated as 'Let him/her/them...'.
Scaffolded Practice
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Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
Imperativo
Spanish has a unique 'vosotros' form, while Croatian uses the same form for plural and formal singular.
Impératif
French negation uses 'ne...pas' around the verb, while Croatian uses the auxiliary 'nemoj'.
Imperativ
German formal imperative uses the infinitive + Sie (Lernen Sie!), whereas Croatian uses a specific -ite ending.
Meireikei (命令形)
Japanese uses different levels of politeness (e.g., -nasai, -te kudasai) that don't map directly to Croatian endings.
Fi'l al-Amr (فعل الأمر)
Arabic has gender-specific imperatives for 'you' (masculine vs feminine), which Croatian does not.
Imperative Particles (吧, 别)
Croatian uses morphological endings on the verb itself, while Chinese relies on external particles.
