L’impératif (imperative)

Introduction
The imperative is known in French as the impératif. We use this form for demands and
orders, when addressing one or more people directly. The imperative exists for the second
person singular (tu), the first person plural (nous), and the second person plural (vous).

Par Exemple

Passager: Arrêtez!

Chauffeur: Montez!

Passager: Conduisez-moi à la gare!

Chauffeur: Mettez votre ceinture, s’il vous plaît!

Passager: Allons-y!

Usage
We use the imperative to order someone to do something.

Examples:
Arrêtez !
Montez !
Conduisez-moi à la gare !

Sometimes we include ourselves in the order and use the imperative for the first person
plural (we).

Example:
Allons-y !
Construction
2nd person singular (tu)

We construct the imperative for tu using the present-tense form of the 1st person singular.
The pronoun is omitted.

This means that er-verbs end with e, while all other verbs end with s. (For irregular present-
tense forms, see the List of Irregular Verbs.)

Example:
parler – Parle !
finir – Finis !
vendre – Vends !

1st person plural (nous)

The imperative for nous is the same as the finite verb form for nous (1st person plural). This
means that for er/re-verbs and irregular verbs we add ons, and for ir-verbs that are
conjugated like finir we add issons. The pronoun is omitted.

Example:
parler – Parlons !
finir – Finissons !
vendre – Vendons !

2nd person plural (vous)

The imperative for vous is the same as the finite verb form for vous (2nd person plural). This
means that for er/re-verbs and irregular verbs we add ez, and for ir-verbs that are conjugated
like finir we add issez. The pronoun is omitted.

Example:
parler – Parlez !
finir – Finissez !
vendre – Vendez !

We also use this form in polite requests.

Example:
Attendez, madame.
vous asseoir.
Reflexive Verbs
For the positive imperative of the reflexive verbs, the verb comes first and after it we use the
strong form of the reflexive pronoun. In negative imperatives, however, we use the weak
form of the reflexive pronoun as usual. (see Reflexive Pronouns).

Example:
Lève-toi !/Ne te lève pas !
Levons-nous !/Ne nous levons pas !

Exceptions

Some verbs have an irregular imperative form.

Infinitive Imperative
Aller va, allons, allez
Avoir aie, ayons, ayez
Être sois, soyons, soyez
Savoir sache, sachons, sachez
Vouloir veuille, veuillons, veuillez

If the adverbial pronoun y comes after an imperative that ends with a vowel, we add an s to
the imperative verb to make pronunciation easier.

Example:
Vas-y !

To note: Imperative for the 2nd person singular (tu) of the verb s’en aller → va-t-en !