The Imperative Mood: Giving Orders, Advice, and Making Requests

In French, the imperative mood is used to give orders, advice, or make requests. It is the form of the verb that directly addresses the person or group of people you are speaking to.

Forming the Imperative

To form the imperative mood, generally, you use the present tense conjugation of the verb, but with some exceptions:

• For tu (informal singular), remove the subject pronoun and use the verb as it is in the present tense, except for verbs that end in -er. For -er verbs, remove the -s from the present tense form.
• For vous (formal singular or plural, and informal or formal plural), use the present tense conjugation of the verb as it is.
• For nous (informal or formal plural), use the present tense verb form and add -ons.
• For tu and vous negative commands, use the subjunctive mood.

Here are some examples to illustrate the formation of the imperative:

• Parler (to speak):

  • tu parles (you speak) > Parle ! (Speak!)
  • vous parlez (you speak) > Parlez ! (Speak!)
  • nous parlons (we speak) > Parlons ! (Let's speak!)

• Finir (to finish):

  • tu finis (you finish) > Finis ! (Finish!)
  • vous finissez (you finish) > Finissez ! (Finish!)
  • nous finissons (we finish) > Finissons ! (Let's finish!)

Using the Imperative

The imperative mood is used in various situations to give orders, advice, or make requests. Here are some common scenarios:

Giving Orders

When giving orders or commands, use the appropriate imperative form of the verb. Here are some examples:

• Arrête ! (Stop!)
• Écoute-moi ! (Listen to me!)
• Ferme la porte ! (Close the door!)

Giving Advice

When giving advice, use the imperative mood along with the appropriate verb. Here are some examples:

• Mange des légumes ! (Eat vegetables!)
• Sois patient ! (Be patient!)
• Prends soin de toi ! (Take care of yourself!)

Making Requests

When making requests, use the imperative verb form combined with politeness expressions such as "s'il te plaît" (please) or "s'il vous plaît" (please). Here are some examples:

• Passe-moi le sel, s'il te plaît. (Pass me the salt, please.)
• Ouvre la fenêtre, s'il vous plaît. (Open the window, please.)
• Aide-moi à porter ces boîtes, s'il te plaît. (Help me carry these boxes, please.)

Handling Pronouns in the Imperative

When using pronouns with the imperative mood, there are some rules to keep in mind:

• For tu affirmative commands, attach the pronoun to the end of the verb using a hyphen. For example: Donne-le-moi ! (Give it to me!)
• For vous affirmative commands, place the pronoun before the verb. For example: Donnez-le-moi ! (Give it to me!)
• For tu negative commands, place the pronoun before the verb. For example: Ne le donne pas ! (Don't give it!)

Summary

The imperative mood is a useful grammatical construction in French to give orders, advice, or make requests. Remember the following points:

• Forming the imperative involves some changes to the present tense conjugation of the verb.
• Use different forms of the imperative depending on the subject of the sentence: tu, vous, or nous.
• The imperative is used in various contexts such as giving orders, giving advice, and making requests.

With this knowledge, you are now equipped to use the imperative mood effectively in French to express your intentions!