Imperative

The imperative mood is used to give commands or orders in Swedish. This is an important aspect of communication, especially when you want someone to do something. In this guide, we will familiarize ourselves with the use and formation of command forms in Swedish.

Formation of Command Forms

To form the imperative in Swedish, you generally use the base form of the verb without any endings. However, there are a few exceptions and irregular verbs to be aware of.

Here are the basic rules for forming the imperative:

1. For regular verbs ending in -a, you simply remove the final -a.
   • Example: prata (to talk) → prata! (talk!)
2. For regular verbs ending in -er, you remove -er and add -r.
   • Example: äter (to eat) → ät! (eat!)
3. For regular verbs ending in -ir, you remove -ir and add -i.
   • Example: gör (to do) → gör! (do!)

Note: Not all verbs follow these regular patterns. It's important to learn the irregularities and exceptions when it comes to forming the imperative for specific verbs.

Usage of Command Forms

The imperative is commonly used in the following situations:

1. Giving direct commands or orders to someone.

   • Example: Stanna! (Stop!)

2. Requesting someone to do something.

   • Example: Öppna fönstret, tack. (Open the window, please.)

3. Expressing advice or recommendations.

   • Example: Var försiktig. (Be careful.)

4. Issuing warnings or prohibitions.

   • Example: Rök inte här. (Don't smoke here.)

Politeness in Command Forms

In Swedish, there are different levels of politeness when using command forms. The difference lies in the choice of pronouns used.

1. Du (informal singular) - This is the most common form used when addressing someone familiar or someone of your same age or younger.

   • Example: Kom hit. (Come here.)

2. Ni (formal singular and plural) - This form is used to address someone you don't know well, someone older or in a position of authority, or when speaking to a group of people.

   • Example: Var så snäll och vänta. (Please wait.)

Examples

Here are some examples of command forms using different verbs:

• Läs! (Read!)
• Svara! (Answer!)
• Sluta prata. (Stop talking.)
• Ring mig snälla. (Please call me.)
• Rör inte. (Don't touch.)

Remember to pay attention to the specific irregularities and exceptions when forming the imperative for different verbs.

That's all you need to know about the imperative in Swedish. Practice forming command forms and start incorporating them into your conversations to become a proficient speaker of Swedish. Lycka till! (Good luck!)