A1 Verb Tenses 2 min read Easy

Giving Commands: The German Imperativ (du, ihr, Sie)

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Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds

The Imperative is used to give commands or advice, and it changes based on who you are talking to.

  • For 'du': Drop the -st and the pronoun. Example: 'Komm!' (Come!)
  • For 'ihr': Use the standard 'ihr' conjugation without the pronoun. Example: 'Kommt!' (Come!)
  • For 'Sie': Swap the verb and the pronoun 'Sie'. Example: 'Kommen Sie!' (Come!)
Verb (stem/conjugation) + ! (e.g., Mach! / Macht! / Machen Sie!)

Overview

The Imperativ (imperative) is how you give commands, instructions, requests, and advice in German. There are three forms depending on who you are talking to: du (informal singular), ihr (informal plural), and Sie (formal). Mastering these three forms lets you tell people what to do in any situation!
DU-FORM (talking to one friend): Take the du-form of the present tense and drop the "du" and the "-st" ending. So "du kommst" becomes "Komm!" (Come!), "du machst" becomes "Mach!" (Do it!), "du schreibst" becomes "Schreib!" (Write!). For verbs with stem vowel change e→i or e→ie, keep the change: "du gibst" becomes "Gib!" (Give!), "du liest" becomes "Lies!" (Read!). But verbs with a→ä do NOT keep the umlaut: "du fährst" becomes "Fahr!" (Drive!), not "Fähr!".
IHR-FORM (talking to multiple friends): This is the easiest — it is identical to the normal ihr-form, just without "ihr". "Ihr kommt" becomes "Kommt!" (Come, everyone!), "ihr macht" becomes "Macht!" (Do it, everyone!), "ihr gebt" becomes "Gebt!" (Give, everyone!).
SIE-FORM (formal, singular or plural): Use the Sie-form of the verb and put "Sie" after it. "Sie kommen" becomes "Kommen Sie!" (Please come!), "Sie machen" becomes "Machen Sie!" (Please do it!), "Sie geben" becomes "Geben Sie!" (Please give!). This form is always polite and used with strangers, bosses, and in formal settings.
SPECIAL VERBS: sein has irregular forms: "Sei ruhig!" (Be quiet! — du), "Seid nett!" (Be nice! — ihr), "Seien Sie vorsichtig!" (Be careful! — Sie). haben: "Hab Geduld!" (Have patience! — du), "Habt Spaß!" (Have fun! — ihr), "Haben Sie Verständnis!" (Have understanding! — Sie).
Softening commands: Add "bitte" (please) to make commands polite: "Komm bitte!" or "Bitte komm!". Add "mal" for a casual, friendly tone: "Schau mal!" (Take a look!), "Hör mal!" (Listen!). Add "doch" for encouragement: "Setz dich doch!" (Go ahead, sit down!).

Imperative Conjugation Table

Infinitive Du (Singular) Ihr (Plural) Sie (Formal)
machen
Mach!
Macht!
Machen Sie!
lesen
Lies!
Lest!
Lesen Sie!
fahren
Fahr!
Fahrt!
Fahren Sie!
warten
Warte!
Wartet!
Warten Sie!
sein
Sei!
Seid!
Seien Sie!
haben
Hab!
Habt!
Haben Sie!

Meanings

The Imperative mood is used to express commands, requests, instructions, or advice.

1

Direct Command

A direct order to perform an action.

“Lauf!”

“Hör zu!”

2

Friendly Advice

Suggesting an action to a friend.

“Probier {die|f} Suppe!”

“Lies {das|n} Buch!”

3

Formal Instruction

Professional or polite request.

“Setzen Sie sich!”

“Bitte warten Sie!”

Reference Table

Reference table for Giving Commands: The German Imperativ (du, ihr, Sie)
Form Structure Example
Affirmative (Du)
Verb stem + !
Komm!
Affirmative (Ihr)
Verb + t + !
Kommt!
Affirmative (Sie)
Verb + Sie + !
Kommen Sie!
Negative (Du)
Nicht + Verb stem + !
Komm nicht!
Negative (Sie)
Nicht + Verb + Sie + !
Kommen Sie nicht!
Polite
Bitte + Imperative
Bitte kommen Sie!

Formality Spectrum

Formal
Setzen Sie sich.

Setzen Sie sich. (Giving a seat to someone.)

Neutral
Setz dich.

Setz dich. (Giving a seat to someone.)

Informal
Setz dich mal hin.

Setz dich mal hin. (Giving a seat to someone.)

Slang
Hock dich hin!

Hock dich hin! (Giving a seat to someone.)

Imperative Target Audience

Imperativ

Informal

  • Du One friend
  • Ihr Group of friends

Formal

  • Sie Stranger/Superior

Examples by Level

1

Komm her!

Come here!

2

Esst {das|n} Brot!

Eat the bread!

3

Helfen Sie mir!

Help me!

4

Trink {die|f} Milch!

Drink the milk!

1

Warten Sie bitte hier.

Please wait here.

2

Lies {das|n} Buch nicht!

Don't read the book!

3

Geht nach Hause!

Go home!

4

Seien Sie vorsichtig!

Be careful!

1

Ruf mich morgen an!

Call me tomorrow!

2

Nehmen Sie Platz, bitte.

Take a seat, please.

3

Fahrt nicht zu schnell!

Don't drive too fast!

4

Schreiben Sie mir eine E-Mail.

Write me an email.

1

Überlegen Sie sich das gut!

Think it over carefully!

2

Sei doch nicht so stur!

Don't be so stubborn!

3

Vergessen Sie nicht, {die|f} Tür zu schließen.

Don't forget to close the door.

4

Sagt uns, was ihr denkt!

Tell us what you think!

1

Kommen Sie doch bitte herein.

Please, do come in.

2

Lass dir das eine Lehre sein!

Let this be a lesson to you!

3

Seien Sie versichert, dass wir helfen.

Rest assured that we will help.

4

Geht ihr nur schon mal vor.

You guys just go ahead.

1

Sei du selbst, egal was passiert.

Be yourself, no matter what happens.

2

Habe Geduld mit dir selbst.

Have patience with yourself.

3

Gehen Sie getrost davon aus.

You can safely assume that.

4

Lasset uns gemeinsam singen.

Let us sing together.

Easily Confused

Giving Commands: The German Imperativ (du, ihr, Sie) vs Imperative vs. Infinitive

Both can be used for instructions.

Giving Commands: The German Imperativ (du, ihr, Sie) vs Sie vs. sie

Capitalization changes the meaning.

Giving Commands: The German Imperativ (du, ihr, Sie) vs Du vs. Ihr

Singular vs. Plural.

Common Mistakes

✗

Du komm!

✓

Komm!

Never include the subject pronoun.
✗

Kommst!

✓

Komm!

Don't keep the -st ending.
✗

Sie kommen!

✓

Kommen Sie!

Invert verb and subject for commands.
✗

Wart!

✓

Warte!

Add 'e' for stems ending in -t.
✗

Habt!

✓

Habt!

Actually correct, but often confused with 'Haben!'.
✗

Sei Sie!

✓

Seien Sie!

Use the infinitive for the 'Sie' form.
✗

Nicht gehen!

✓

Geh nicht!

Place 'nicht' after the verb.
✗

Lass uns gehen!

✓

Lass uns gehen!

This is correct, but learners often use 'Gehen wir!' which is less common.
✗

Sei höflich!

✓

Sei höflich!

Correct, but learners forget to add 'bitte'.
✗

Kommst du!

✓

Komm!

Still including the pronoun.
✗

Seien Sie mal nicht so!

✓

Seien Sie mal nicht so!

Grammatically okay, but pragmatically awkward.

Sentence Patterns

___ bitte ___!

___ Sie bitte ___!

___ nicht ___!

___ doch mal ___!

Real World Usage

Texting very common

Komm heute Abend!

Job Interview common

Nehmen Sie bitte Platz.

Ordering Food very common

Bringen Sie mir das Wasser.

Social Media common

Folgt mir für mehr!

Travel common

Gehen Sie geradeaus.

Food Delivery App occasional

Bitte klingeln Sie.

💡

Use 'bitte'

Always add 'bitte' to your commands to avoid sounding rude. It is the magic word in German.
⚠️

Don't use 'du' with strangers

Using the 'du' imperative with a stranger is very aggressive. Stick to 'Sie'.
🎯

The 'e' rule

If the verb stem ends in -t or -d, always add an 'e' to the 'du' form. It makes it easier to say.
💬

Intonation matters

A command can sound like a request if you use a rising intonation at the end.

Smart Tips

Add 'bitte' at the beginning or end of the sentence.

Komm her! → Komm bitte her!

Use the 'ihr' form, which is just the standard verb conjugation.

Du kommt! → Kommt!

Always use the 'Sie' form.

Warte hier! → Warten Sie bitte hier!

Add an 'e' to the 'du' form.

Wart! → Warte!

Pronunciation

/ˈkɔmən ziː/

Stress

The verb is always stressed at the beginning of the sentence.

Command

Komm! ↓

Falling intonation indicates a firm command.

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Drop the subject, keep the verb, add a bang to make it heard!

Visual Association

Imagine a conductor with a baton. When he points at one person, he says 'Mach!'. At a group, he says 'Macht!'. To the orchestra, he says 'Machen Sie!'.

Rhyme

Du drops the -st, Ihr keeps the -t, Sie flips the verb, as you can see!

Story

Hans is a chef. He tells his apprentice 'Schneide!' (Du). He tells his two helpers 'Schneidet!' (Ihr). He tells the restaurant owner 'Schneiden Sie!' (Sie). Everyone is cooking now.

Word Web

KommMachGehLiesWarteSeiHelfen

Challenge

Write 3 commands for your morning routine: one for yourself (in your head), one for a friend, and one for a boss.

Cultural Notes

Germans value directness, but the 'Sie' form is mandatory for strangers to show respect.

Austrians often use 'bitte' even more frequently to soften commands.

Swiss German speakers often use the 'Sie' form even among colleagues.

The German imperative stems from Old High German, where it was a distinct mood used for commands.

Conversation Starters

“

Was soll ich heute machen?

“

Können Sie mir helfen?

“

Sag mir, was du denkst!

“

Sagen Sie mir, wie ich das lösen kann.

Journal Prompts

Write a list of 5 rules for your classroom.
Give advice to a friend visiting your city.
Write a formal instruction manual for a coffee machine.
Write a letter to your future self using commands.

Common Mistakes

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

Test Yourself

Fill in the correct form for 'du'.

___ (machen) deine Hausaufgaben!

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Mach
For 'du', drop -st.
Choose the correct formal command. Multiple Choice

___ (warten) Sie hier!

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Warten
Formal uses the infinitive + Sie.
Fix the mistake. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

Du komm!

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Komm!
No pronoun in imperative.
Reorder the words. Sentence Reorder

Arrange the words in the correct order:

All words placed

Click words above to build the sentence

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Warten Sie bitte!
Verb first in command.
Translate to German (formal). Translation

Help me!

Answer starts with: Hel...

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Helfen Sie mir!
Formal command.
Match the form to the person. Match Pairs

Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Du / Ihr / Sie
Correct mapping.
Conjugate 'lesen' for 'du'. Conjugation Drill

___ (lesen) das Buch!

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Lies
Stem change e->ie.
Build a sentence. Sentence Building

___ (fahren) nicht so schnell!

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Fahrt
Plural 'ihr' form.

Score: /8

Practice Exercises

8 exercises
Fill in the correct form for 'du'.

___ (machen) deine Hausaufgaben!

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Mach
For 'du', drop -st.
Choose the correct formal command. Multiple Choice

___ (warten) Sie hier!

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Warten
Formal uses the infinitive + Sie.
Fix the mistake. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

Du komm!

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Komm!
No pronoun in imperative.
Reorder the words. Sentence Reorder

Sie / bitte / warten / !

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Warten Sie bitte!
Verb first in command.
Translate to German (formal). Translation

Help me!

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Helfen Sie mir!
Formal command.
Match the form to the person. Match Pairs

Mach / Macht / Machen Sie

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Du / Ihr / Sie
Correct mapping.
Conjugate 'lesen' for 'du'. Conjugation Drill

___ (lesen) das Buch!

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Lies
Stem change e->ie.
Build a sentence. Sentence Building

___ (fahren) nicht so schnell!

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Fahrt
Plural 'ihr' form.

Score: /8

FAQ (8)

The imperative is a direct address, so the subject is implied by the verb form.

No, use 'Lass uns...' (Let's) instead.

Yes, when used as the formal address, it is always capitalized.

When the stem ends in -t, -d, or -ig.

It can be, so always add 'bitte'.

The 'wir' form is usually expressed with 'Lass uns'.

No, you can only command people you are talking to.

Place 'nicht' after the verb.

Scaffolded Practice

1

1

2

2

3

3

4

4

Mastery Progress

Needs Practice

Improving

Strong

Mastered

In Other Languages

Spanish high

Imperativo

Spanish uses the subjunctive for negative commands, while German uses the indicative.

French moderate

Impératif

French uses 'nous' for 'let's', whereas German uses 'Lass uns'.

Japanese low

Meireikei

Japanese imperative is rarely used in polite speech.

Arabic moderate

Amr

Arabic distinguishes gender in the singular imperative, which German does not.

Chinese none

Imperative

Chinese has no verb conjugation.

English partial

Imperative

English does not change the verb based on the person addressed.

Learning Path

Prerequisites

Next
Three Grammatical Genders (der, die, das)

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