Conjugate regular verbs in the imperative mood in French (L'Impératif)
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L'Impératif Présent - the Imperative mood - is used to express commands, instructions and advice.
e.g. "Give me this!", "Listen carefully!"
Learn how to conjugate regular verbs in L'Impératif Présent in French
Finis tes devoirs !Finish your homework!
Finissons nos devoirs !Let's finish our homework!
Finissez vos devoirs !Finish your homework!
Viens au rendez-vous !Come to the rendez-vous!
Choisis un endroit exceptionnel !Choose an outstanding location!
Prenez vos manteaux, il fait froid dehors !Take your coats, it's cold outside!
Réfléchissons une minute !Let's just think for a minute !
In French, L'Impératif Présent has three main characteristics:
- There are only 3 persons in L'Impératif: tu, nous, vous since you only issue commands to 'you' or 'us/we'.
- Like in English, the subject pronoun is dropped in L'Impératif.
- The verb is at the same form as in Le Présent for tu, nous and vous:
Tu finis ta soupe. Finis ta soupe !You're finishing your soup. Finish your soup.
ATTENTION: Case of -ER verbs + verbs which conjugate like -ER verbs in Le Présent (Indicatif)
Tu manges ton dessert. Mange ton dessert !You're eating your dessert. Eat your dessert!
Tu vas au lit. Va au lit !You're going to bed. Go to bed!
Tu offres toujours un verre d'eau à tes visiteurs. Offre toujours un verre d'eau à tes visiteurs.You always offer your visitors a glass of water. Always offer your visitors a glass of water.
Tu cueilles un peu de persil dans le jardin. Cueille de la menthe aussi, s'il te plaît !You're picking some parsley from the garden. Pick some mint too, please!
Note that for ALL verbs ending in -ER (including aller), as well as verbs whose present "tu" forms end in -es (-vrir/-ffrir verbs and cueillir), the -s is dropped at the end of the "tu" form in L'Impératif Présent.
The other forms (nous and vous) are regular.
The other forms (nous and vous) are regular.
Here are more -ER examples:
Donne-lui quelque chose !Give him something!
Donnons une sucette à Paula !Let's give Paula a lollipop!
Donnez-moi un baiser !Give me a kiss!
Ouvre la fenêtre !Open the window!
Surveille ton frère !Keep an eye on your brother!
Allons au parc !Let's go to the park!
See also the following lessons about L'Impératif Présent:
Forming simple negative commands with the imperative mood in French (L'Impératif)
Conjugate reflexive verbs in the imperative mood in French (L'Impératif) - affirmative commands
Conjugate irregular être/avoir/savoir in the imperative mood in French (L'Impératif)
Me becomes moi in affirmative commands in the imperative mood (L'Impératif) in French
And the more advanced:
Using French adverbial pronoun "y" in affirmative commands in the imperative mood (L'Impératif) in French
Using French adverbial pronoun "en" in affirmative commands in the imperative mood (L'Impératif) in French
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Examples and resources
Juste au cas où... Bonjour les traces de pneu !Put on clean underwear!
Just in case... Hellooo skid marks!
