A2 Present Tense 1 min read Facile

Irregular Imperatives: Diga! Faça! Vá! (Say! Do! Go!)

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Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds

The verbs 'dizer', 'fazer', and 'ir' have unique, short imperative forms that you must memorize as they don't follow standard patterns.

  • Dizer becomes 'Diga!' (formal) or 'Diz!' (informal).
  • Fazer becomes 'Faça!' (formal) or 'Faz!' (informal).
  • Ir becomes 'Vá!' (formal) or 'Vai!' (informal).
Verb (Irregular) + ! = Command

Overview

Some common verbs have irregular imperative forms based on their subjunctive stem: dizer → diga! (say!), fazer → faça! (do/make!), ir → vá! (go!), ser → seja! (be!), estar → esteja! (be!), ter → tenha! (have!), dar → dê! (give!).

Imperative Conjugation Table

Infinitive Formal (Você) Informal (Tu)
Dizer
Diga
Diz
Fazer
Faça
Faz
Ir
Vá
Vai

Meanings

These verbs are used to give direct instructions or commands. They are irregular because their stems change significantly from the infinitive.

1

Direct Command

Giving a direct order to someone.

“Diga a verdade!”

“Faça um café.”

2

Polite Suggestion

Using the formal imperative to suggest an action.

“Faça uma pausa.”

“Vá ao médico.”

Reference Table

Reference table for Irregular Imperatives: Diga! Faça! Vá! (Say! Do! Go!)
Form Structure Example
Affirmative
Irregular Stem
Diga a verdade!
Negative
Não + Subjunctive
Não diga nada.
Formal
3rd Person Stem
Faça o favor.
Informal
Truncated Stem
Faz isso agora.
Reflexive
Verb + Pronoun
Vá-se embora.
Question
Verb + Subject?
Diga, você vem?

Spectre de formalité

Formel
Diga-me a verdade.

Diga-me a verdade. (Personal conversation)

Neutre
Diga a verdade.

Diga a verdade. (Personal conversation)

Informel
Diz a verdade.

Diz a verdade. (Personal conversation)

Argot
Fala a real.

Fala a real. (Personal conversation)

The Irregular Trio

Imperative

Dizer

  • Diga Say (formal)

Fazer

  • Faça Do (formal)

Ir

  • Vá Go (formal)
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Exemples par niveau

1

Diga seu nome.

Say your name.

2

Faça um favor.

Do me a favor.

3

Vá para casa.

Go home.

4

Diga olá.

Say hello.

1

Não diga isso!

Don't say that!

2

Faz o jantar, por favor.

Make dinner, please.

3

Vai embora agora.

Go away now.

4

Faça o exercício.

Do the exercise.

1

Diga-me o que aconteceu.

Tell me what happened.

2

Faça uma lista de compras.

Make a shopping list.

3

Vá ao médico se estiver doente.

Go to the doctor if you are sick.

4

Não faças barulho.

Don't make noise.

1

Diga-lhe a verdade, ele merece.

Tell him the truth, he deserves it.

2

Faça o possível para chegar cedo.

Do your best to arrive early.

3

Vá ter com ele ao aeroporto.

Go meet him at the airport.

4

Não digas nada a ninguém.

Don't tell anyone anything.

1

Diga o que disser, eu não acredito.

Whatever you say, I don't believe it.

2

Faça-se a luz!

Let there be light!

3

Vá lá, não sejas teimoso.

Come on, don't be stubborn.

4

Diga-se de passagem, foi um erro.

By the way, it was a mistake.

1

Diga-me, por obséquio, as horas.

Tell me, if you please, the time.

2

Faça por onde merecer o prêmio.

Do what is necessary to deserve the prize.

3

Vá-se embora, que já é tarde.

Go away, for it is already late.

4

Diga o que for preciso.

Say whatever is necessary.

Facile à confondre

Irregular Imperatives: Diga! Faça! Vá! (Say! Do! Go!) vs Imperative vs. Indicative

Learners confuse 'Você faz' (You do) with 'Faça' (Do!).

Irregular Imperatives: Diga! Faça! Vá! (Say! Do! Go!) vs Formal vs. Informal

Learners use 'Diga' with friends and 'Diz' with strangers.

Irregular Imperatives: Diga! Faça! Vá! (Say! Do! Go!) vs Negative Imperative

Learners use the affirmative form with 'não'.

Erreurs courantes

✗

Dize

✓

Diz

Learners often add an 'e' to the informal form.
✗

Faze

✓

Faz

Similar to 'dize', learners over-regularize.
✗

Vai-te

✓

Vai

Confusing reflexive with non-reflexive.
✗

Diga-tu

✓

Diz

Mixing formal and informal.
✗

Não faz

✓

Não faças

Negative commands need the subjunctive.
✗

Não diga-me

✓

Não me diga

Pronoun placement in negative commands.
✗

Vá-te

✓

Vai-te

Mixing formal verb with informal pronoun.
✗

Diga-lo

✓

Diga-o

Pronoun contraction error.
✗

Faça-o para mim

✓

Faça-mo

Complex pronoun combinations.
✗

Vá lá para

✓

Vá para

Redundant particles.
✗

Diga-se que

✓

Diga-se

Incorrect use of impersonal structure.
✗

Faça-o ser

✓

Faça-o

Unnecessary verb addition.
✗

Vá-se embora

✓

Vá embora

Redundant reflexive.

Structures de phrases

___ a verdade agora.

___ o seu trabalho.

___ para casa.

Não ___ isso!

Real World Usage

Social Media very common

Diga o que você acha!

Texting constant

Vai logo!

Job Interview occasional

Faça uma breve apresentação.

Ordering Food common

Faça um sanduíche, por favor.

Travel common

Vá em frente.

Delivery App common

Faça o pedido agora.

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💡

Memorize the trio

Diga, Faça, Vá are the most common irregulars. Learn them first.
⚠️

Don't over-regularize

Avoid adding 'e' to the end of informal commands.
🎯

Use the subjunctive

Remember that negative commands use the subjunctive form.
💬

Formal vs Informal

Always check who you are talking to before choosing the form.

Smart Tips

Think of the 'a' ending for formal and 'z/i' for informal.

Dizer a verdade. → Diga a verdade.

Use the formal 'você' form to be safe.

Diz a verdade. → Diga a verdade.

Always add 'não' before the subjunctive.

Não faz. → Não faças.

Use 'tu' forms for friends.

Você faz. → Tu fazes.

Prononciation

DI-ga, FA-ça, VA

Stress

The stress is on the first syllable for these commands.

Command

Diga! ↘

Falling intonation for a firm command.

Mémorise-le

Moyen mnémotechnique

Remember 'Diga, Faça, Vá' as the 'Do-Say-Go' trio of command.

Association visuelle

Imagine a bossy robot saying 'Diga!' while pointing at a mouth, 'Faça!' while pointing at a task, and 'Vá!' while pointing at a door.

Rhyme

Diga, Faça, Vá, these are the commands you need to know, near and far.

Story

Maria wanted to be a leader. She told her team: 'Diga (Say) the plan, Faça (Do) the work, and Vá (Go) to the meeting!' They listened because she used the right commands.

Word Web

DigaFaçaVáDizFazVaiComandoOrdem

Défi

Write three sentences using these verbs to give instructions to a friend for the next 5 minutes.

Notes culturelles

Brazilians often use 'você' forms even with friends, making 'Diga' and 'Faça' very common.

Portuguese speakers strictly distinguish between 'tu' and 'você', so 'Diz' is used more often with friends.

The imperative is used with great respect for elders.

These verbs come from Latin 'dicere', 'facere', and 'ire'.

Amorces de conversation

“

Diga-me, como foi o seu dia?

“

Faça um favor, pode me ajudar?

“

Vá a algum lugar interessante este fim de semana?

“

Diga o que você acha sobre isso.

Sujets d'écriture

Write a list of instructions for a friend visiting your city.
Describe a time you had to tell someone to do something.
Write a formal letter giving advice to a colleague.
Imagine you are a coach. Write a motivational speech.

Erreurs courantes

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

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Test Yourself

Fill in the blank with the correct formal imperative.

___ (Dizer) a verdade!

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Diga
Formal imperative of dizer is Diga.
Choose the correct informal imperative. Choix multiple

___ (Fazer) o seu trabalho!

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Faz
Informal imperative of fazer is Faz.
Correct the sentence. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

Não faz isso!

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Não faças isso!
Negative commands need the subjunctive.
Change to formal imperative. Sentence Transformation

Vai à loja.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Vá à loja.
Formal imperative of ir is Vá.
Is this rule correct? True False Rule

Negative commands use the same form as affirmative commands.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: False
Negative commands use the subjunctive.
Complete the dialogue. Dialogue Completion

A: O que eu faço? B: ___ (Dizer) a verdade.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Diga
Formal advice.
Build the sentence. Sentence Building

Diga / a / verdade / me.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Diga-me a verdade.
Standard pronoun placement.
Conjugate the verb. Conjugation Drill

Ir (Informal)

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Vai
Informal imperative of ir.

Score: /8

Exercices pratiques

8 exercises
Fill in the blank with the correct formal imperative.

___ (Dizer) a verdade!

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Diga
Formal imperative of dizer is Diga.
Choose the correct informal imperative. Choix multiple

___ (Fazer) o seu trabalho!

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Faz
Informal imperative of fazer is Faz.
Correct the sentence. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

Não faz isso!

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Não faças isso!
Negative commands need the subjunctive.
Change to formal imperative. Sentence Transformation

Vai à loja.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Vá à loja.
Formal imperative of ir is Vá.
Is this rule correct? True False Rule

Negative commands use the same form as affirmative commands.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: False
Negative commands use the subjunctive.
Complete the dialogue. Dialogue Completion

A: O que eu faço? B: ___ (Dizer) a verdade.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Diga
Formal advice.
Build the sentence. Sentence Building

Diga / a / verdade / me.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Diga-me a verdade.
Standard pronoun placement.
Conjugate the verb. Conjugation Drill

Ir (Informal)

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Vai
Informal imperative of ir.

Score: /8

FAQ (8)

They are high-frequency verbs that have evolved over time to be shorter and more efficient.

No, it's too informal. Use 'Diga'.

Use 'não' + the subjunctive form. E.g., 'Não diga'.

No, 'Vá' is singular formal, 'Vão' is plural.

Regional variation. 'Me diga' is common in Brazil, 'Diga-me' in Portugal.

Yes, but these three are the most common.

'Faz' is informal, 'Faça' is formal.

Yes, they are standard in all forms of communication.

Scaffolded Practice

1

1

2

2

3

3

4

4

Mastery Progress

Needs Practice

Improving

Strong

Mastered

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In Other Languages

Spanish partial

Di, Haz, Ve

Spanish uses 'Di' and 'Haz' for informal commands.

French partial

Dis, Fais, Va

French imperative endings are simpler.

German low

Sag, Tu, Geh

German does not have irregular imperatives for these verbs.

Japanese none

Ie, Shiro, Ike

Japanese uses particles and verb stems.

Arabic none

Qul, If'al, Idhhab

Arabic imperatives are based on the root.

Chinese none

Shuo, Zuo, Qu

Chinese uses word order and particles.

Learning Path

Prerequisites

Previous
The Verb Ficar: Becoming, Staying & Locations
Next
Portuguese Augmentatives: Making Things Big (-ão/-ona)

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