Imperativ (du / ihr / Sie)
A2 German grammar — Imperative. The imperative is used for commands, requests, instructions and advice. - **du-Form** (informal singular): drop the -en…
Rule explained
The imperative is used for commands, requests, instructions and advice. - **du-Form** (informal singular): drop the -en or -n of the infinitive and add nothing (or -e in some cases). Strong verbs with vowel change keep the changed vowel in du: *essen → Iss!*, *lesen → Lies!* - **ihr-Form** (informal plural): use the present-tense ihr form without the pronoun: *Kommt!*, *Esst!* - **Sie-Form** (formal): use the infinitive + Sie, with capital S: *Kommen Sie!*, *Essen Sie!* Add **bitte** to make it polite.
Examples
Use these mini-pairs as templates:
- Komm! — Come! (du)
- Kommt! — Come! (ihr)
- Kommen Sie bitte! — Please come! (Sie)
- Iss dein Gemüse! — Eat your vegetables! (du, vowel change)
Common mistakes
Watch out for these learner errors:
- For du: *Kommst!* or *Du komm!* (wrong) → *Komm!*
- For Sie: forgetting the capital S or using the wrong verb form.
- Separable verbs: the prefix stays at the end: *Mach das Licht an!* (not *Anmach das Licht!*)