A1 Present Tense 7 min read Easy

French Commands: The Imperative (tu, nous, vous)

The French imperative is just the present tense minus the subject pronouns and the final 's' for -er verbs.
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Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds

The imperative is used to give orders, advice, or suggestions using only three forms: tu, nous, and vous.

  • Drop the subject pronoun: 'Tu manges' becomes 'Mange!'
  • For -er verbs, drop the 's' in the tu form: 'Tu parles' becomes 'Parle!'
  • Use 'nous' for suggestions (Let's...): 'Allons-y!' (Let's go!)
Verb (no subject) + ! (e.g., Mange!)

Overview

The imperative mood in French, known as l'impératif, functions as a direct command, an instruction, a piece of advice, or a suggestion. Unlike most French verb moods, the imperative does not require an explicit subject pronoun (je, tu, il, nous, vous, ils) because the addressed party is implicitly understood. This inherent directness makes the imperative concise and impactful in communication.

French employs the imperative for three specific grammatical persons: the informal singular tu (you), the plural or formal singular vous (you), and the collective nous (we/let's). The absence of other persons stems from the nature of a direct command: one cannot command oneself (self-suggestions use different structures), nor can one directly command a third person or group not present. Consequently, the imperative establishes a direct, unambiguous link between the speaker and the recipient of the instruction.

Conjugation Table

Verb (Infinitive) Present Tense (tu, nous, vous) Imperative (tu) Imperative (nous) Imperative (vous) English Translation
:---------------- :----------------------------------- :---------------- :------------------ :------------------ :------------------
Regular -ER Verbs
parler (to speak) tu parles, nous parlons, vous parlez Parle ! Parlons ! Parlez ! Speak! / Let's speak! / Speak!
manger (to eat) tu manges, nous mangeons, vous mangez Mange ! Mangeons ! Mangez ! Eat! / Let's eat! / Eat!
regarder (to look) tu regardes, nous regardons, vous regardez Regarde ! Regardons ! Regardez ! Look! / Let's look! / Look!
écouter (to listen) tu écoutes, nous écoutons, vous écoutez Écoute ! Écoutons ! Écoutez ! Listen! / Let's listen! / Listen!
Regular -IR Verbs (like finir)
finir (to finish) tu finis, nous finissons, vous finissez Finis ! Finissons ! Finissez ! Finish! / Let's finish! / Finish!
choisir (to choose) tu choisis, nous choisissons, vous choisissez Choisis ! Choisissons ! Choisissez ! Choose! / Let's choose! / Choose!
réussir (to succeed) tu réussis, nous réussissons, vous réussissez Réussis ! Réussissons ! Réussissez ! Succeed! / Let's succeed! / Succeed!
Regular -RE Verbs (like vendre)
attendre (to wait) tu attends, nous attendons, vous attendez Attends ! Attendons ! Attendez ! Wait! / Let's wait! / Wait!
vendre (to sell) tu vends, nous vendons, vous vendez Vends ! Vendons ! Vendez ! Sell! / Let's sell! / Sell!
répondre (to answer) tu réponds, nous répondons, vous répondez Réponds ! Répondons ! Répondez ! Answer! / Let's answer! / Answer!
Irregular Verbs (Common)
être (to be) tu es, nous sommes, vous êtes Sois ! Soyons ! Soyez ! Be! / Let's be! / Be!
avoir (to have) tu as, nous avons, vous avez Aie ! Ayons ! Ayez ! Have! / Let's have! / Have!
savoir (to know) tu sais, nous savons, vous savez Sache ! Sachons ! Sachez ! Know! / Let's know! / Know!
aller (to go) tu vas, nous allons, vous allez Va ! / Vas-y ! Allons ! Allez ! Go! / Let's go! / Go!
faire (to do/make) tu fais, nous faisons, vous faites Fais ! Faisons ! Faites ! Do! / Let's do! / Do!
dire (to say/tell) tu dis, nous disons, vous dites Dis ! Disons ! Dites ! Say! / Let's say! / Say!
venir (to come) tu viens, nous venons, vous venez Viens ! Venons ! Venez ! Come! / Let's come! / Come!

How This Grammar Works

The French imperative is intimately connected to the present indicative mood, acting as a streamlined derivative. Its formation primarily involves taking the present tense conjugation and then omitting the subject pronoun. This omission is crucial; the very act of commanding implies a direct address, rendering the explicit subject redundant.
For instance, knowing tu travailles (you work) makes Travaille ! (Work!) a logical extension.
For most verbs, the imperative forms for nous and vous are identical to their present indicative counterparts, simply without the pronoun. The significant divergence occurs with -er verbs (and verbs conjugating like them, such as aller) in the tu form. Here, the final s of the present tense tu conjugation (tu parles) is dropped to produce Parle !.
This phenomenon is rooted in historical phonological evolution, where the final s often remained silent and was eventually graphically omitted in the imperative to facilitate a smoother, more succinct pronunciation.
An interesting exception to the -er verb rule exists when the imperative tu form of aller (which is Va !) is immediately followed by the adverbial pronoun y (meaning 'there' or 'to it'). To ensure proper liaison and a fluid phonetic connection, the s is re-inserted, resulting in Vas-y ! (Go there!/Go on!). This is a purely phonetic adjustment, preventing a jarring vowel-vowel sequence.
Similarly, a silent s is re-added before en (e.g., Parles-en ! - Speak about it!).
When object pronouns (like le, la, les, lui, leur, y, en) accompany an affirmative imperative, they attach directly to the verb with a hyphen. The pronouns me and te transform into moi and toi respectively, also linked by a hyphen (e.g., Donne-le-moi ! - Give it to me!). In the negative imperative, these pronouns revert to their standard positions before the verb (e.g., Ne le lui donne pas ! - Don't give it to him!).
This shift in pronoun placement is a fundamental aspect of imperative structure.

Formation Pattern

1
Forming the French imperative involves a precise, three-step process, built upon a solid understanding of present tense conjugations. The key is to apply the specific rule for -er verbs in the tu form.
2
Here are the steps to construct the imperative for most French verbs:
3
Conjugate the verb in the present tense for the desired imperative person: tu, nous, or vous.
4
Example for chanter (to sing): tu chantes, nous chantons, vous chantez.
5
Example for dormir (to sleep): tu dors, nous dormons, vous dormez.
6
Example for rendre (to give back): tu rends, nous rendons, vous rendez.
7
Remove the subject pronoun (tu, nous, or vous). The command gains its directness without an explicit subject.
8
From tu chantes, nous chantons, vous chantez you get: chantes, chantons, chantez.
9
From tu dors, nous dormons, vous dormez you get: dors, dormons, dormez.
10
From tu rends, nous rendons, vous rendez you get: rends, rendons, rendez.
11
For -er verbs only, remove the final s from the tu form. This is the critical exception.
12
For chanter, chantes drops its s to become Chante !. (The s is silent, so it's dropped).
13
For dormir (-ir verb) or rendre (-re verb), no s is dropped from the tu form (Dors !, Rends !). The final s is pronounced in these verb groups, and thus retained.
14
This systematic approach ensures consistent and accurate imperative formation. For reflexive verbs, the process is similar, but te becomes toi in affirmative imperatives. For se laver (to wash oneself):
15
Present indicative: tu te laves, nous nous lavons, vous vous lavez.
16
Affirmative imperative: Lave-toi ! (Wash yourself!), Lavons-nous ! (Let's wash ourselves!), Lavez-vous ! (Wash yourselves!).
17
Negative imperative: Ne te lave pas !, Ne nous lavons pas !, Ne vous lavez pas !.

When To Use It

The French imperative is a versatile mood that extends beyond simple commands, fulfilling a range of communicative functions. Its directness makes it suitable for various contexts in daily life, but always implies an action to be performed by the listener.
  • Giving Orders or Direct Instructions: This is the most straightforward use, conveying a non-negotiable directive. You'll hear this from parents, teachers, or in official instructions.
  • Ferme la porte ! (Close the door!)
  • Range ta chambre ! (Tidy your room!)
  • Suivez-moi. (Follow me.)
  • Offering Advice or Suggestions: The imperative can soften its tone significantly when used to give friendly advice or recommendations. Adding s'il te plaît or s'il vous plaît (please) further enhances politeness.
  • Dors un peu. (Sleep a bit.) – tu form, friendly advice.
  • Prenez un parapluie. (Take an umbrella.) – vous form, practical recommendation.
  • Réfléchis avant d'agir. (Think before acting.)
  • Making Suggestions (with the nous form): The nous form of the imperative translates directly to

Imperative Conjugation Table

Verb Type Tu Nous Vous
-er (Parler)
Parle
Parlons
Parlez
-ir (Finir)
Finis
Finissons
Finissez
-re (Vendre)
Vends
Vendons
Vendez
Irregular (Être)
Sois
Soyons
Soyez
Irregular (Avoir)
Aie
Ayons
Ayez
Irregular (Savoir)
Sache
Sachons
Sachez

Meanings

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

1

Direct Command

Giving a direct order to someone.

“Ferme la porte !”

“Écoute-moi.”

2

Suggestion

Proposing an action for a group including yourself.

“Allons au cinéma.”

“Mangeons maintenant.”

3

Polite Instruction

Giving directions or advice.

“Prenez la première rue à droite.”

“Attendez ici, s'il vous plaît.”

Reference Table

Reference table for French Commands: The Imperative (tu, nous, vous)
Form Structure Example
Affirmative
Verb + !
Mange !
Negative
Ne + Verb + pas
Ne mange pas !
Suggestion
Nous form
Allons-y !
Formal
Vous form
Attendez !
Reflexive
Verb + -toi/vous
Lave-toi !
Irregular
Special stem
Sois sage !

Formality Spectrum

Formal
Veuillez manger.

Veuillez manger. (Dining)

Neutral
Mangez.

Mangez. (Dining)

Informal
Mange !

Mange ! (Dining)

Slang
Bouffe !

Bouffe ! (Dining)

Imperative Usage Map

Imperative

Forms

  • Tu Informal
  • Nous Suggestion
  • Vous Formal

Rules

  • No Subject Drop pronoun
  • No -s For -er verbs

Present vs. Imperative

Present
Tu parles You speak
Imperative
Parle ! Speak!

How to form the imperative

1

Is it an -er verb?

YES
Drop 's' for tu
NO
Keep 's' for tu

Imperative Contexts

🏠

Daily Life

  • • Cooking
  • • Cleaning
  • • Directions
💼

Work

  • • Meetings
  • • Emails
  • • Instructions
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Examples by Level

1

Mange ta pomme !

Eat your apple!

2

Écoutez le professeur.

Listen to the teacher.

3

Allons-y !

Let's go!

4

Regarde ça !

Look at that!

1

Ne parle pas si fort.

Don't speak so loudly.

2

Prenez la deuxième rue.

Take the second street.

3

Fais tes devoirs.

Do your homework.

4

Soyez à l'heure.

Be on time.

1

Dépêche-toi, nous sommes en retard.

Hurry up, we are late.

2

N'oubliez pas de fermer la porte.

Don't forget to close the door.

3

Ayez confiance en vous.

Have confidence in yourself.

4

Appelez-moi dès que possible.

Call me as soon as possible.

1

Veuillez patienter quelques instants.

Please wait a few moments.

2

Ne vous inquiétez pas pour ça.

Don't worry about that.

3

Sachez que nous faisons de notre mieux.

Know that we are doing our best.

4

Prenez garde à la marche.

Watch out for the step.

1

Faites preuve de patience.

Show some patience.

2

Ne vous laissez pas abattre.

Don't let yourself get down.

3

Voyons ce que nous pouvons faire.

Let's see what we can do.

4

Tenez-vous prêts pour le départ.

Be ready for the departure.

1

Ayez l'obligeance de répondre.

Be so kind as to reply.

2

Ne vous méprenez pas sur mes intentions.

Do not misunderstand my intentions.

3

Faites en sorte que tout soit prêt.

Ensure that everything is ready.

4

Soyez assurés de notre soutien.

Rest assured of our support.

Easily Confused

French Commands: The Imperative (tu, nous, vous) vs Imperative vs. Infinitive

Signs often use the infinitive (Ne pas fumer) while speech uses the imperative (Ne fume pas).

French Commands: The Imperative (tu, nous, vous) vs Tu vs. Vous

Learners often use 'tu' when they should be formal.

French Commands: The Imperative (tu, nous, vous) vs Affirmative vs. Negative Pronouns

Pronoun order flips in negative commands.

Common Mistakes

✗

Tu manges !

✓

Mange !

Subject pronoun must be dropped.
✗

Parles !

✓

Parle !

Remove 's' for -er verbs.
✗

Nous mangeons !

✓

Mangeons !

Drop the subject.
✗

Vous parlez !

✓

Parlez !

Drop the subject.
✗

Ne mange pas le !

✓

Ne le mange pas !

Pronouns go before the verb in negative commands.
✗

Mange le !

✓

Mange-le !

Hyphen needed for affirmative pronouns.
✗

Ne pas manger !

✓

Ne mange pas !

Use the imperative, not the infinitive for direct commands.
✗

Lave toi !

✓

Lave-toi !

Hyphen required for reflexive verbs.
✗

Donnez-moi le.

✓

Donnez-le-moi.

Complex pronoun order.
✗

Savoir !

✓

Sache !

Irregular imperative form.
✗

Ayez soyez !

✓

Soyez !

Double conjugation error.
✗

Veuillez de venir.

✓

Veuillez venir.

Veuillez takes the infinitive directly.
✗

Ne vous dépêchez pas.

✓

Ne vous dépêchez pas.

Actually correct, but often confused with affirmative.

Sentence Patterns

___ (verb) le/la/les !

___ (verb) au cinéma !

Ne ___ (verb) pas !

___ (verb) -moi le livre.

Real World Usage

Texting constant

Viens vite !

Cooking very common

Mélangez les œufs.

Directions common

Tournez à droite.

Job Interview occasional

Asseyez-vous.

Social Media common

Abonnez-vous !

Food Delivery common

Laissez le sac devant la porte.

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💡

The -er Rule

Always remember to drop the 's' for -er verbs in the tu form. It's a classic mistake!
⚠️

No Subject

Never include the subject pronoun. 'Tu mange' is wrong; 'Mange' is right.
🎯

Use 'Nous' for Suggestions

Use the 'nous' form to make suggestions like 'Let's go' or 'Let's eat'.
💬

Politeness

When in doubt, use 'vous'. It is always safer and more polite.

Smart Tips

Drop the 's' for -er verbs.

Parles ! → Parle !

Use the 'nous' form.

On allons au parc. → Allons au parc !

Use a hyphen.

Dépêche toi. → Dépêche-toi !

Put pronouns before the verb.

Ne mange pas le. → Ne le mange pas !

Pronunciation

a-lon-zi

Liaison

In 'Allons-y', the 's' in 'Allons' is pronounced like a 'z' sound.

↘

Intonation

Commands usually have a falling intonation at the end.

Command

Mange ! ↘

Firmness and authority.

Suggestion

Allons-y ! ↗

Enthusiasm and invitation.

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Remember 'TNV' (Tu, Nous, Vous) — the only three people you can command.

Visual Association

Imagine a conductor (Vous) leading an orchestra (Nous) and pointing at a single musician (Tu) to start playing.

Rhyme

Drop the subject, keep the verb, for -er verbs, remove the s-word.

Story

You are a chef. You tell your apprentice (Tu) to cut the onions. You tell the whole kitchen team (Vous) to start cooking. Finally, you say to yourself and the team (Nous), 'Let's eat!'

Word Web

ParleMangeViensFaisSoisAllonsPrenez

Challenge

Write 3 commands you would give to a friend, 3 to a group, and 3 suggestions for today.

Cultural Notes

The use of 'tu' vs 'vous' is strictly tied to social hierarchy and familiarity.

The imperative is used similarly, but with a more relaxed tone.

The imperative is often softened with 's'il vous plaît' to maintain politeness.

Derived from the Latin imperative mood, which was used for commands.

Conversation Starters

“

Que dois-je faire pour apprendre le français ?

“

Donnez-moi un conseil pour voyager.

“

Dites-moi ce que vous feriez à ma place.

“

Suggérez-moi un livre intéressant.

Journal Prompts

Write a list of 5 things you tell yourself every morning.
Write a recipe for your favorite dish using commands.
Write a set of rules for a new game.
Write a persuasive letter to a friend.

Common Mistakes

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

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Test Yourself

Conjugate the verb in the imperative (tu form).

___ (Parler) avec moi !

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Parle
Drop the 's' for -er verbs.
Which is the correct suggestion? Multiple Choice

___ au parc.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Allons
Nous form is for suggestions.
Fix the mistake. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

Tu mange !

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Mange !
Drop the subject.
Change to negative. Sentence Transformation

Mange !

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Ne mange pas !
Ne...pas around the verb.
Complete the dialogue. Dialogue Completion

A: Je suis fatigué. B: ___ (se reposer).

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Repose-toi
Reflexive imperative.
Build the command. Sentence Building

Prenez / la / rue / première.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Prenez la première rue.
Correct word order.
Sort into Tu, Nous, Vous. Grammar Sorting

Sort: Parle, Parlons, Parlez

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Tu, Nous, Vous
Correct order.
Match the verb to the command. Match Pairs

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

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Sois
Irregular form.

Score: /8

Practice Exercises

8 exercises
Conjugate the verb in the imperative (tu form).

___ (Parler) avec moi !

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Parle
Drop the 's' for -er verbs.
Which is the correct suggestion? Multiple Choice

___ au parc.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Allons
Nous form is for suggestions.
Fix the mistake. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

Tu mange !

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Mange !
Drop the subject.
Change to negative. Sentence Transformation

Mange !

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Ne mange pas !
Ne...pas around the verb.
Complete the dialogue. Dialogue Completion

A: Je suis fatigué. B: ___ (se reposer).

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Repose-toi
Reflexive imperative.
Build the command. Sentence Building

Prenez / la / rue / première.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Prenez la première rue.
Correct word order.
Sort into Tu, Nous, Vous. Grammar Sorting

Sort: Parle, Parlons, Parlez

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Tu, Nous, Vous
Correct order.
Match the verb to the command. Match Pairs

Être -> ?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Sois
Irregular form.

Score: /8

Practice Bank

10 exercises
Fill in the blank (vous form of 'écouter'). Fill in the Blank

___ bien cette consigne.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Écoutez
Fix the mistake for an -er verb. Error Correction

Manges ta pomme !

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Mange ta pomme !
Put the words in order to say 'Don't speak'. Sentence Reorder

parle / ne / pas

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Ne parle pas
Translate 'Let's finish!' to French. Translation

Let's finish!

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Finissons !
Which one is a formal command? Multiple Choice

Select the formal version:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Attendez une minute.
Match the verb to its command form. Match Pairs

Match the pairs

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Parler (tu) - Parle, Finir (vous) - Finissez, Aller (nous) - Allons, Être (tu) - Sois
Fill in the blank with the negative 'vous' form of 'oublier'. Fill in the Blank

___ pas vos clés !

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: N'oubliez
Correct the irregular command for 'avoir'. Error Correction

Aies du courage !

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Aie du courage !
How do you say 'Turn left' to a stranger? Multiple Choice

Turn left:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Tournez à gauche.
Translate 'Be quiet!' (to a child). Translation

Be quiet!

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Tais-toi !

Score: /10

FAQ (8)

The imperative is a direct command, so the subject is implied by the context.

No, you cannot command yourself in the first person singular.

The imperative is only for the second person (tu/vous) and first person plural (nous).

Use 's'il vous plaît' or the 'vous' form.

No, it is an infinitive instruction.

Reflexive pronouns are attached to the verb with a hyphen in the affirmative.

Yes, like 'être' (sois) and 'avoir' (aie).

When you want to suggest an action for a group including yourself.

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 high

Imperativo

Spanish has more complex irregular forms for the imperative.

German moderate

Imperativ

German uses the infinitive or specific imperative stems.

Japanese low

Meireikei

Japanese imperative is often considered rude in daily speech.

Arabic moderate

Fi'l al-amr

Arabic imperative is highly gendered.

Chinese low

Imperative structure

Chinese has no verb conjugation.

English moderate

Imperative

English does not conjugate the verb for the subject.

Learning Path

Prerequisites

Previous
French -yer Verbs: The y to i Swap (payer, envoyer)

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