Spanish Commands: Tú, Usted, Ustedes, Nosotros

1. Los Mandatos Por Mateo L.

2. Los Usos • Commands take specific endings depending upon the person they are directed. • Commands may be given in tú, usted, nosotros, vosotros, and ustedes forms. • The most common of these forms is the tú form, whose spelling depends on if the command is positive or negative (vosotros does the same as well).

3. Mandatos de Tú • To form a positive tú command, go to the él/ella/usted form of the verb. • This includes if the verb is a stem changer. • To form a negative tú command, go to the yo form of the verb, drop the –o, and add –as (if the verb is er/ir) or –es (if the verb is ar). • This includes stem changes, pirate verbs, and other forms.

4. Los Reflexivos • In reflexive verbs, the negative tú command remains the norm, but positive commands require a special form. • The verb is originally formed as normal positive commands, but the (te) part of the verb must be added to the end. • Because another syllable is being added onto the word, certain aspects of the verb must be stressed (accented) in order to maintain flow. • After adding on the IOP (indirect object pronoun), stress the third to last syllable. If the verb does not have that many syllables, it does not need to be stressed. • Example: moverse  muévete • A strong syllable (a,e,o) always is stressed before a weak (i,u).

5. Los Irregulares - Positivo • Of course, there are irregular verbs specifically for the positive tú form. These include: • decir  di venir  ven • hacer  haz tener  ten • ser  se poner  pon • ir  ve salir  sal An easy way to remember this is with the expression: Di Haz SeVen TenPonies in her Salon

6. Los Irregulares - Negativo • And there exists a separate set of irregulars for the very same list for negatives: • decir  no digas venir  no vengas • hacer  no hagas tener  no tengas • ser  no seas poner  no pongas • ir  no vayas salir  no salgas

7. Ejemplos de Mandatos de Tú • correr (+) • corre • venir (-) • no vengas • divertirse (+) • diviértete • sentarse (-) • no te sientes • resolver (+) • resuelve • empezar (-) • no empieces • estar (+) • está • tocar (-) • no toques • pagar (-) • no pagues • mostrar (+) • muestra

8. jugar (-) • no juegues • cerrar (+) • cierra • tener (-) • no tengas • despertarse (+) • despiértate • encontrar (-) • no encuentres • dormir (+) • duerme • servir (-) • no sirvas • vestirse (+) • vístate • pedir (-) • no pidas • irse (+) • vete

9. Mandatos de Usted • Sometimes, commands are used formally. • To form an usted command, go to the yo form of the verb and drop the –o, adding an a (if er/ir) or an e (if ar). • This ending is essentially the negative tú command form without the s. • The positive and negative forms of each command are identical.

10. Rules regarding reflexives and irregulars are the same, except a –se is used instead of a –te. • The negative form of the irregular verbs will be used as an usted command, disregarding the s. • Example: poner (+/-)  (no) ponga • reírse (+/-)  ríase, no se ría • Pirate verbs are essentially the same as negative tú commands, disregarding the s.

11. Ejemplos de Mandatos de Usted • llegar (+) • llegue • hablar (-) • no hable • volver (+) • vuelva • sentirse (-) • no se sienta • dar (+) • dé • salir (-) • no salga • regar (+) • riegue • entender (-) • no entienda • sacar (+) • saque • rendirse (+) • ríndase

12. Mandatos de Ustedes • Commands may also be given to a group of individuals. • To form an ustedes command, simply add an –n onto the would be usted form (-yo form, drop “o”, opposite ending, add “n”). • The same rules regarding reflexive and irregulars for usted apply to this group.

13. Ejemplos de Mandatos de Ustedes • colgar (+) • cuelguen • recordar (-) • no recuerden • querer (+) • quieran • ser (-) • no sean • preferir (-) • no prefieran • peinarse (+) • péinense • repetir (-) • no repitan • beber (+) • beban • conseguir (-) • no consigan • decir (+) • digan

14. Mandatos de Nosotros • Commands may also be given in the nosotros form, and follow a very similar pattern to usted and ustedes commands. • The verb is taken to the yo form, the –o is dropped, an the opposite ending is added (amos for er/ir; emos for ar). • The same endings are used for irregular and pirate verbs as well, except amos/emos is added instead.

15. Excepciones de Nosotros • In nosotros commands, the stem changer is NOT taken by the verb. • However, a slipper verb (3rd person preterite) form WILL be used in nosotros. • Encontrar  encontremos (no stem change) • Dormir  durmamos (slipper change)

16. Reflexivos de Nosotros • Reflexives differ as well. • Positive commands still require accents; instead, the verb will be conjugated without stem change to an usted command and –monos will be added onto the end of the verb. • Example: mover  movámonos • This explains the common expression vámonos,or “let’s go.”

17. Ejemplos de Mandatos de Nosotros • poner (+) • pongamos • comer (-) • no comamos • servir (+) • sirvamos • saber (-) • no sepamos • acostarse (+) • acostémonos • comenzar (-) • no comencemos • devolver (+) • devolvamos • poder (-) • no podamos • pedir (+) • pidamos • hacer(-) • no hagamos

18. Mandatos de Vosotros • Commands may be in the vosotros form as well • Vosotros commands essentially are the same as tú commands, but differ slightly. • In positive commands, a –d is simply added onto the end of a positive tú command. • Example: estAR estAD venIR venID comER comED

19. In negative commands, go to the –yo form of the verb, drop the –o, and add the opposite endings (áis for er/ir; éis for ar) • Example: llamar  no llaméis • Example: creer  no creáis • The rules for irregular, relexive, and pirate verbs apply for vosotros the same as for tú.

20. Ejemplos de Mandatos de Vosotros • estar (+) • estad • jugar (-) • no juguéis • acordarse (+) • acordaos • pensar (-) • no penséis • elegir (+) • elegid • seguir (-) • no sigáis • ir (+) • id • mentir (-) • no mintáis • requerer (+) • requered • aprobarse (-) • no os aprobéis