🎓 Prepared by students from Boğaziçi University

What is the Imperative Mood?

The imperative mood is used to give commands, make requests, and suggest actions. In French, the imperative drops the subject pronoun and uses special verb forms — 'parle!' (speak!), 'parlons!' (let's speak), 'parlez!' (speak formally).

Short answer

The imperative mood is a verb form that expresses direct commands or requests — in French, it exists in three forms: 'tu' (informal singular), 'nous' (inclusive), and 'vous' (formal/plural).

Imperative Mood Construction

1
Identify Person
Tu (you sing.), Nous (we), Vous (you/plural)
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2
Conjugate Base
Use present tense form of the verb
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3
Drop Subject
Remove pronoun: Tu parles → Parle!
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4
Apply Rules
-ER verbs: drop s in tu form; -ER → -e final

Step-by-step worked examples

Convert to imperative (tu): 'Tu manges une pomme.' → Command!

Present tense tu form: Tu manges
Imperative tu form: Remove subject → Mange! (eat!)
Note: -ER verbs drop the final 's' in tu imperative.

Form imperative nous: 'Nous allons au cinéma.'

Present tense nous form: Nous allons
Imperative nous: Allons! (Let's go!)
Nous imperative stays same as present nous form.

Create imperative vous from 'finir': Give a formal command.

Present tense vous form: Vous finissez
Imperative vous: Finissez! (Finish! formal)
Vous imperative = present vous conjugation.

Flashcards

Quick quiz

Q1.Convert to imperative (tu): 'Tu écris une lettre.'

Correct answer: A. Tu imperative of écrire: Écris! (Write! — informal)

Q2.Form imperative nous from 'prendre':

Correct answer: B. Nous imperative: Prenons! (Let's take!)

Q3.What is the rule for -ER verbs in tu imperative?

Correct answer: B. Tu parles → Parle! Drop the 's' for -ER verbs in tu imperative.

Q4.Which form is most formal/polite?

Correct answer: C. Vous imperative (Parlez!) is formal and respectful — used with adults/strangers.

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Common mistakes

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Including the subject pronoun in imperative. — Correct: Imperative drops the pronoun: 'Parle!' not 'Tu parle!'.

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Keeping the 's' in tu -ER verbs. — Correct: Tu parles → Parle! (drop s). Exceptions: aller (va → Va!), avoir (aie), être (sois).

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Using infinitive instead of conjugated form. — Correct: 'Parler!' is infinitive; 'Parle!' is the true tu imperative.

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Confusing vous imperative with polite phrase. — Correct: Parlez! is a direct command; 'Pouvez-vous...?' is a polite question.

FAQ

Is there an 'il/elle' or 'ils/elles' imperative form?

No — imperative exists only for tu, nous, and vous. For third person, use 'Qu'il parle!' (Let him speak!).

What is the difference between 'tu' and 'vous' imperative?

'Tu parle!' is informal (friends, family); 'Parlez!' is formal/plural (strangers, groups).

Are negative imperatives different?

No tense change, but word order differs: 'Ne parle pas!' (Don't speak!) — ne comes before, pas after.

Do irregular verbs have special imperative forms?

Some — aller: va!, avoir: aie!, être: sois!, savoir: sache! — learn them separately.