Höflich & typisch gesprochen: *bitte*, *mal*, *doch*, *einfach*
A2 German grammar — Imperative. German often uses **small particles** to sound natural. They don’t change the grammar, but they change the **tone**. - …
Rule explained
German often uses **small particles** to sound natural. They don’t change the grammar, but they change the **tone**. - **bitte** = polite: *Komm bitte kurz.* / *Kommen Sie bitte.* - **mal** = “just/for a moment” (friendly): *Komm mal her.* - **doch** = encouragement / “come on”: *Komm doch mit!* / *Sag doch was!* - **einfach** = “simply”: *Mach einfach weiter.* You can combine them: *Komm doch mal vorbei!* (very common spoken German).
Examples
Use these mini-pairs as templates:
- Komm mal her. — Come here a moment. (friendly)
- Komm doch mit! — Come along! (encouraging)
- Mach bitte die Tür zu. — Please close the door.
- Kommen Sie doch mal rein. — Do come in (friendly formal).
- Mach einfach weiter. — Just keep going.
Common mistakes
Watch out for these learner errors:
- Particles are optional: don’t overuse them in every sentence at A2.
- *bitte* doesn’t replace the correct form: still *Kommen Sie bitte* (not *Kommen bitte*).