10.2: Familiar commands
- Page ID
- 415680
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\(\newcommand{\avec}{\mathbf a}\) \(\newcommand{\bvec}{\mathbf b}\) \(\newcommand{\cvec}{\mathbf c}\) \(\newcommand{\dvec}{\mathbf d}\) \(\newcommand{\dtil}{\widetilde{\mathbf d}}\) \(\newcommand{\evec}{\mathbf e}\) \(\newcommand{\fvec}{\mathbf f}\) \(\newcommand{\nvec}{\mathbf n}\) \(\newcommand{\pvec}{\mathbf p}\) \(\newcommand{\qvec}{\mathbf q}\) \(\newcommand{\svec}{\mathbf s}\) \(\newcommand{\tvec}{\mathbf t}\) \(\newcommand{\uvec}{\mathbf u}\) \(\newcommand{\vvec}{\mathbf v}\) \(\newcommand{\wvec}{\mathbf w}\) \(\newcommand{\xvec}{\mathbf x}\) \(\newcommand{\yvec}{\mathbf y}\) \(\newcommand{\zvec}{\mathbf z}\) \(\newcommand{\rvec}{\mathbf r}\) \(\newcommand{\mvec}{\mathbf m}\) \(\newcommand{\zerovec}{\mathbf 0}\) \(\newcommand{\onevec}{\mathbf 1}\) \(\newcommand{\real}{\mathbb R}\) \(\newcommand{\twovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\ctwovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\threevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cthreevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\mattwo}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{rr}#1 \amp #2 \\ #3 \amp #4 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\laspan}[1]{\text{Span}\{#1\}}\) \(\newcommand{\bcal}{\cal B}\) \(\newcommand{\ccal}{\cal C}\) \(\newcommand{\scal}{\cal S}\) \(\newcommand{\wcal}{\cal W}\) \(\newcommand{\ecal}{\cal E}\) \(\newcommand{\coords}[2]{\left\{#1\right\}_{#2}}\) \(\newcommand{\gray}[1]{\color{gray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\lgray}[1]{\color{lightgray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\rank}{\operatorname{rank}}\) \(\newcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\col}{\text{Col}}\) \(\renewcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\nul}{\text{Nul}}\) \(\newcommand{\var}{\text{Var}}\) \(\newcommand{\corr}{\text{corr}}\) \(\newcommand{\len}[1]{\left|#1\right|}\) \(\newcommand{\bbar}{\overline{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bhat}{\widehat{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bperp}{\bvec^\perp}\) \(\newcommand{\xhat}{\widehat{\xvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\vhat}{\widehat{\vvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\uhat}{\widehat{\uvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\what}{\widehat{\wvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\Sighat}{\widehat{\Sigma}}\) \(\newcommand{\lt}{<}\) \(\newcommand{\gt}{>}\) \(\newcommand{\amp}{&}\) \(\definecolor{fillinmathshade}{gray}{0.9}\)Tú (Familiar) Commands
If we want to talk to someone younger than you, or someone that you know well, you use the TÚ form. In this section, we are going to learn how to form TÚ commands.
Both English and Spanish have three moods
1. The indicative states information or asks questions. Estudiamos español. ¿Estudias mucho?
2. The imperative, or commands, to tell others to do something. Estudia tú. Bebe tú agua suficiente. No me digas.
We will learn the imperative in this chapter.
3. We use the subjunctive to express wishing, emotion, doubt, denial, impersonal expressions, negativity, or when we use ojalá. Quiero que ustedes hagan bien en esta clase. Es importante que hablemos español. Ojalá que todo pase bien.
We will study the subjunctive in future chapters.
Forming affirmative TÚ commands
To form affirmative two commands, we use something that we have already used: the él, ella, or usted form of the present tense. You can use the word tú after the commands, but it is not necessary to do so. For example
estudiar Estudia. or Estudia tú. Study!
comer Come. or Come tú. Eat!
escribir Escribe. or Escribe tú. Write!
Many times the word tú is not used because the subject being spoken to is obvious.
If the command requires a pronoun, it is added after the command. Since we are adding a syllable to the command, we also have to add a written accent mark on the second-to-last syllable of the original command. For example
estudiar el poema Estúdialo. Study it!
comer la fruta Cómela. Eat it!
escribir la tarea Escríbela. Write it!
There are eight verbs that have irregular affirmative tú commands. They are:
hacer Haz. Do.
ser Sé. Be.
ir Ve. Go.
venir Ven. Come.
poner Pon. Put.
decir Di. Tell.
salir Sal. Go.
tener Ten. Have.
If we say the commands in this order, haz sé ve ven pon di sal ten, it is easy to remember these eight irregular tú commands.
Read through these irregular commands a few times to memorize them: haz sé ve ven pon di sal ten, haz sé ve ven pon di sal ten, haz sé ve ven pon di sal ten.
Does saying them in this order help you? Do you a different way to remember the eight irregular affirmative tú commands?
Forming negative TÚ commands
Sometimes we want to tell someone NOT to do something. We can use a negative tú to do this.
There are three steps to form a negative tú command. First, we start with the yo form of the present tense. Second, we remove the O at the end. Third, we add the opposite vowel ending. This means that we add es to -AR verbs and as to -ER and -IR verbs. For example
estudiar estudio estudi No estudies. Don’t study.
comer como com No comas. Don’t eat.
escribir escribo escrib No escribas. Don’t write.
If a negative tú command requires a pronoun, we put the pronoun after the word no and before the command. For example
estudiar el poema No lo estudies. Don’t study it.
comer la fruta No la comas. Don’t eat it!
escribir la tarea No la escribas. Don’t write it!
There are six verbs that have irregular negative tú commands. They are irregular because their YO form does not end in an o.
They are
dar No des. Don’t give.
ir No vayas. Don’t go.
ser No seas. Don’t be.
haber No hayas.
estar No estés. Don’t be.
saber No sepas. Don’t know.
If we look at the first letter of each these verbs, we see the word DISHES. It is important to memorize these verbs. And, after we memorize them, we will be able to “recycle” them a couple of times in the future. So, reread and then memorize these six verbs that have negative tú commands.
Commands are practical and useful. They can be fun to use and are used in a variety of ways. So, let’s practice them.
Prácticas
A. Translate the commands into Spanish.
1. Study!
2. Write!
3. Sing!
4. Don’t work!
5. Don’t call me.
6. Wash it.
7. Say it!
8. Don’t say it!
9. Get ready!
10.Have fun!
B. Write the affirmative and negative commands for each verb.
B. Write the affirmative and negative commands for each verb.
VERBO + TÚ - TÚ
saltar Salta. No saltes.
escribir la tarea Escríbela. No la escribas.
1. gritar
2. decorar
3. bailar
4. comer
5. escribir
6. llorar
7. cantar
8. beber otro refresco
9. decir la verdad
10. hacer la tarea
11. respetar a tus padres.
12. leer el libro
13. bañarse
14. prepararse
15. divertirse
C. Write an appropriate command for each situation.
Ejemplo: En un restaurante mexicano Pide tacos deliciosos.
No pidas una hamburguesa.
- En la cafetería de AU
- En la biblioteca
- En clase
- En el gimnasio
5. En una gasolinera
6. En una quinceañera
7. En un museo
8. En el trabajo
9. En Target
10. En casa
D. Write eight commands for a new student at AU to help him/her be successful. Use a mixture of affirmative and negative tú commands.
Ejemplo: Estudia mucho.
No mires la televisión toda la noche.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
E. La Música. The song Vete con Ella by Lucerito uses affirmative commands. In the song, she tells an ex-boyfriend to go with someone else. The song No Controles by the Flans uses negative commands. In this song, they tell someone things not to do to avoid controlling behavior. Listen to both songs and then pick one. Listen to the song you picked and write down the commands you hear. Then, translate them.
F. When are commands used? How are affirmative tú commands formed? How are negative tú commands formed? Which is easier for you? Why? Give an example of each.