Imperative in French

When to use the imperative in French?

The imperative (French l'impératif) is the verbal mood which is used to express an order, an advice, a recommendation or a prohibition. 

Examples:

• Parlez plus lentement, je ne vous comprends pas = Speak more slowly, i don't understand you.
• Finissons le travail et allons nous promener = Let's finish the job and let's go for a walk.
• Demande cela au conseiller, il t'aidera = Ask this to the consultant, he will help you.

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How to form the imperative in French?

1) The imperative of 1st group of the French verbs is formed by the endings "e", "ons" and "ez" added to the stem of the verb.

2) The imperative of 2nd group of the French verbs is formed by the endings "is", "issons", "issez".

3) The imperative of 3rd group of the French verbs is formed by the endings "s", "ons", "ez".

Exceptions

Examples: 

• Allons au marché! = Let's go to the market!
• Ayez honte de dire cela = Have shame to tell this.
• Sois prudent en traversant la rue = Be careful while crossing the street.
• Sachez la vérité avant de constater quelque chose = Know the truth before stating something.
• Veuillez faire attention aux erreurs = Be kind to put attention on the errors.

How to form the past imperative in French ? 

The imperative past is not really used but it is always good to learn it. It allows to express the anteriority of an ordered action compared to an action which is not yet realized. 

It is a compound time, so it uses the auxiliary avoir or être conjugated to the imperative present + the past participle

Examples:

• Soyez rentrés avant le repas! = be back before lunch !
• Aie fini avant que je ne revienne. = finish before I get back
• Aie parlé avec lui. = talk with him !
• Soyez allé à la foire avant qu'il ne pleuve. = go to the fair before it rains !

How to form the imperative of French pronominal verbs ?

Forming affirmative imperative of pronominal verbs the reflexive pronouns te, nous, vous become stress pronouns toi, nous, vous. They are placed after the verb with a hyphen in between.

The negative form of the French imperative

The negative imperative is formed with the particle "ne" + form of affirmative imperative of verb + particle "pas".

The negative imperative of pronominal verbs is formed by the same way keeping the regular order of words and the reflexive pronouns te, vous, nous.

Examples:

Irregular forms of the imperative in French

The imperatives of être, avoir and savoir are irregular. their form are the subjunctive forms. 

The imperative forms of "aller" are "va, allons, allez". Va become vas and the familiar imperative of -er verbs adds s before the pronouns y and en. 

• Vas-y ! (go ahead)
• Parles-en ! (talk about it)

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