The imperative is used to give commands, instructions, advice, or suggestions. In German, the form of the imperative depends on who you are addressing: singular informal (du), plural informal (ihr), or formal (Sie).
1. Imperative for “du” (singular informal)
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Used for one person you know well (friends, family).
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Take the present tense form of “du” without the pronoun.
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If the verb ends in -t or -d, an -e can be added for easier pronunciation (optional).
Regular verbs examples:
| Verb | “du” present | Imperative |
|---|---|---|
| machen (to do) | du machst | Mach! |
| lernen (to learn) | du lernst | Lern! |
| spielen (to play) | du spielst | Spiel! |
Irregular verbs examples:
| Verb | “du” present | Imperative |
|---|---|---|
| fahren (to drive/go) | du fährst | Fahr! |
| essen (to eat) | du isst | Iss! |
| lesen (to read) | du liest | Lies! |
Note: Some irregular verbs change the vowel in the “du” form, and the same change appears in the imperative.
2. Imperative for “ihr” (plural informal)
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Used for more than one person informally.
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Take the present tense form of “ihr” without the pronoun.
Regular verbs examples:
| Verb | “ihr” present | Imperative |
|---|---|---|
| machen | ihr macht | Macht! |
| lernen | ihr lernt | Lernt! |
| spielen | ihr spielt | Spielt! |
Irregular verbs examples:
| Verb | “ihr” present | Imperative |
|---|---|---|
| fahren | ihr fahrt | Fahrt! |
| essen | ihr esst | Esst! |
| lesen | ihr lest | Lest! |
Note: For “ihr”, the imperative looks almost the same as the present tense form.
3. Imperative for “Sie” (formal singular or plural)
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Used for one or more people formally.
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Always include the pronoun Sie.
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Take the present tense of the verb and add Sie at the end.
Regular verbs examples:
| Verb | Present | Imperative |
|---|---|---|
| machen | Sie machen | Machen Sie! |
| lernen | Sie lernen | Lernen Sie! |
| spielen | Sie spielen | Spielen Sie! |
Irregular verbs examples:
| Verb | Present | Imperative |
|---|---|---|
| fahren | Sie fahren | Fahren Sie! |
| essen | Sie essen | Essen Sie! |
| lesen | Sie lesen | Lesen Sie! |
Important Rules
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For du, remove the pronoun; sometimes add -e for pronunciation.
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For ihr, remove the pronoun, keep the present tense ending.
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For Sie, use the present tense + “Sie” at the end.
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Irregular verbs follow the same rules, but watch for vowel changes in “du” (e.g., essen → iss!).
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