The imperative is used when giving orders or making suggestions. For example, your teacher is using the imperative when they say Levez la main ! or Asseyez-vous !
To make an imperative statement, you simply use the tu, vous or nous form of a present tense verb and drop the personal pronoun.
Giving orders When you give an order, the part of the verb you use depends on who you are talking to.
• If you are giving an order to someone you know, use the tu form of the verb. Note that you must drop the final ‘s’ from the present tense of –er verbs to form the imperative in the tu form (e.g. tu manges becomes Mange !).
–er verbs –ir verbs –re verbs
Present tense Imperative Tu aides Tu choisis Tu attends
Aide !
Choisis ! Attends !
Aide-moi !
• If you are giving an order to someone you don’t know well or to more than one person, use the vous form of the verb. This is the imperative that you will see on signs in French- speaking countries (e.g. Tirez !).
–er verbs –ir verbs –re verbs
Present tense Imperative Vous aidez
Aidez !
Vous choisissez Choisissez ! Vous attendez
Attendez ! Retenez ! There is also a change
when you make a reflexive verb imperative. In this case, -toi or -vous is added after the verb (e.g. Tu te réveilles becomes Réveille-toi ! and Vous vous asseyez becomes
