Grammar / A2 : Elementary / The imperative mood
The imperative mood
Giving an order, advice, or instruction.
The mood of direct address
The imperative is used for commands, instructions, requests, advice, and invitations. It is the only French verb form with no subject pronoun; you address someone directly and the verb stands alone. French uses three persons: tu for one person you address informally, vous for a formal or plural address, and nous for suggestions meaning "let's".
Two points require specific attention at this level: the disappearing -s in the tu form of -ER verbs, and the change in position of object pronouns depending on whether the imperative is positive or negative. Both are frequent sources of error and both are tested in DELF A2.
1. Formation
The imperative is formed from the present tense by removing the subject pronoun. There are only three persons: tu, nous, vous. No other persons exist in the imperative.
| Verb | tu (informal sg.) | nous (let's...) | vous (formal or pl.) |
|---|---|---|---|
| parler | Parle ! (Speak!) | Parlons ! (Let's speak!) | Parlez ! (Speak!) |
| finir | Finis ! (Finish!) | Finissons ! (Let's finish!) | Finissez ! (Finish!) |
| prendre | Prends ! (Take!) | Prenons ! (Let's take!) | Prenez ! (Take!) |
| aller | Va ! (Go!) | Allons ! (Let's go!) | Allez ! (Go!) |
| venir | Viens ! (Come!) | Venons ! (Let's come!) | Venez ! (Come!) |
| faire | Fais ! (Do!) | Faisons ! (Let's do!) | Faites ! (Do!) |
| attendre | Attends ! (Wait!) | Attendons ! (Let's wait!) | Attendez ! (Wait!) |
2. -ER verbs: the tu form loses its -s
All -ER verbs (and aller) drop the -s from the tu form of the present tense when forming the imperative. This is the most common error at this level.
⚠ Present: tu parles → Imperative: Parle ! (not Parles !)
⚠ Present: tu manges → Imperative: Mange ! (not Manges !)
⚠ Present: tu vas → Imperative: Va ! (not Vas !)
💡 Exception with -y and -en: when the imperative of an -ER verb is directly followed by y or en, the -s is restored for liaison.
Vas-y ! (Go ahead! Go there!): the -s reappears before y
Parles-en ! (Talk about it!): the -s reappears before en
Manges-en ! (Eat some of it!): the -s reappears before en
This is a purely phonetic rule: the liaison requires a consonant.
3. Irregular imperatives
Four verbs have imperative forms that do not come from the present tense. They must be learnt individually.
| Verb | tu | nous | vous | Common use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| être | sois | soyons | soyez | Sois sage ! (Be good!) · Soyez les bienvenus ! (Welcome!) |
| avoir | aie | ayons | ayez | Aie confiance ! (Have confidence!) · Ayez patience. (Be patient.) |
| savoir | sache | sachons | sachez | Sache que ce n'est pas facile. (Know that it is not easy.) |
| vouloir | veuille | veuillons | veuillez | Veuillez trouver ci-joint... (Please find enclosed...) (formal letters only) |
4. Negative imperative
Place ne before the verb and pas after it. The structure is identical to standard negation.
| Affirmative | Negative |
|---|---|
| Parle ! (Speak!) | Ne parle pas ! (Don't speak!) |
| Mangez ! (Eat!) | Ne mangez pas ça ! (Don't eat that!) |
| Allons ! (Let's go!) | N'allons pas là-bas. (Let's not go there.) |
| Faites attention ! (Be careful!) | Ne faites pas attention. (Don't pay attention.) |
5. Uses
| Use | Example |
|---|---|
| Orders | Ferme la porte ! (Close the door!) |
| Instructions | Tournez à gauche, puis continuez tout droit. (Turn left, then go straight ahead.) |
| Polite requests | Asseyez-vous, s'il vous plaît. (Please sit down.) |
| Advice | Mange des légumes et dors bien. (Eat vegetables and sleep well.) |
| Invitations | Viens dîner ce soir ! (Come for dinner tonight!) |
| Prohibitions | Ne fumez pas ici. (No smoking here.) |
| Suggestions (nous) | Allons au cinéma ce soir ! (Let's go to the cinema tonight!) |
6. Object pronouns : affirmative imperative
In a positive imperative, object pronouns go after the verb and are linked by a hyphen. This is the opposite of the normal position in a declarative sentence.
Two pronouns change form in this position: me becomes moi, and te becomes toi.
Positive imperative: verb + hyphen + pronoun(s)
| Without pronoun | With pronoun (positive) |
|---|---|
| Mange le gâteau. | Mange-le ! (Eat it!) |
| Regarde ces photos. | Regarde-les ! (Look at them!) |
| Appelle ta mère. | Appelle-la ! (Call her!) |
| Téléphone à Marc. | Téléphone-lui ! (Call him!) |
| Parle à tes parents. | Parle-leur ! (Talk to them!) |
| Appelle-moi. | Appelle-moi ! (me becomes moi) |
| Regarde-toi. | Regarde-toi ! (Look at yourself!) (te becomes toi) |
Two pronouns together
When both a direct and an indirect object pronoun are used, direct comes before indirect in the positive imperative (opposite of declarative sentences).
Donne-le-moi ! (Give it to me!) (le before moi)
Dis-le-lui ! (Tell it to him/her!)
Apporte-les-nous ! (Bring them to us!)
7. Object pronouns : negative imperative
In a negative imperative, the pronouns return to their normal position (before the verb). moi and toi revert to me and te.
Negative imperative: ne + pronoun(s) + verb + pas
| Positive (pronoun after) | Negative (pronoun before) |
|---|---|
| Mange-le ! | Ne le mange pas ! (Don't eat it!) |
| Appelle-la ! | Ne l'appelle pas ! (Don't call her!) |
| Téléphone-lui ! | Ne lui téléphone pas ! (Don't call him!) |
| Appelle-moi ! | Ne me rappelle pas. (Don't call me back.) (moi reverts to me) |
8. Pronominal verbs in the imperative
With pronominal verbs, the reflexive pronoun follows the verb in the positive imperative, linked by a hyphen. te becomes toi. In the negative, the pronoun returns before the verb as te.
| Verb | Positive | Negative |
|---|---|---|
| se lever | Lève-toi ! (Get up!) | Ne te lève pas ! (Don't get up!) |
| se dépêcher | Dépêche-toi ! (Hurry up!) | Ne te dépêche pas ! |
| s'asseoir | Asseyez-vous ! (Sit down!) | Ne vous asseyez pas ! |
| se taire | Tais-toi ! (Be quiet!) | Ne te tais pas ! |
| se lever (nous) | Levons-nous ! (Let's get up!) | Ne nous levons pas ! |
9. Essential imperative expressions
Écoute ! / Écoutez !: Listen!
Regarde ! / Regardez !: Look!
Attends ! / Attendez !: Wait!
Viens ! / Venez !: Come!
Vas-y ! / Allez-y !: Go ahead! Go for it!
Allez !: Come on! Let's go!
Allons-y !: Let's go! Let's do it!
Dépêche-toi ! / Dépêchez-vous !: Hurry up!
Tais-toi ! / Taisez-vous !: Be quiet!
Assieds-toi ! / Asseyez-vous !: Sit down!
Lève-toi ! / Levez-vous !: Get up!
Ne t'inquiète pas ! / Ne vous inquiétez pas !: Don't worry!
Sois sage !: Be good! (to a child)
Soyez les bienvenus !: Welcome!
Fais attention ! / Faites attention !: Be careful!
10. Key points
✓ Three persons only: tu (informal sg.) / nous (let's...) / vous (formal or pl.)
✓ Formed from the present tense (remove the subject pronoun)
✓ -ER verbs and aller: tu form drops the -s, Parle ! Mange ! Va !
✓ Exception: -s restored before -y and -en, Vas-y ! Parles-en !
✓ Irregular: sois/soyez (être) / aie/ayez (avoir) / sache/sachez (savoir) / veuillez (vouloir)
✓ Negative: ne + verb + pas, Ne parle pas ! Ne mangez pas ça !
✓ Positive imperative: pronouns go AFTER verb with hyphen, Mange-le ! Dis-lui !
✓ me → moi and te → toi after verb: Appelle-moi ! Dépêche-toi !
✓ Negative imperative: pronouns return BEFORE verb. Ne le mange pas ! Ne me dis pas ça !
✓ Pronominal verbs: Lève-toi ! / Ne te lève pas !