A2 German GrammarImperative (Commands)
Master German imperative forms for giving commands and instructions. Learn the three forms: informal singular (du), informal plural (ihr), and formal (Sie), plus special cases and polite expressions.
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1Informal Singular (du-form)
The du-imperative is used when speaking to one person you know well. Form it by removing the -en ending and dropping 'du'. For most verbs, this gives you just the verb stem. Verbs with stem-vowel change e→i/ie keep the change. The -e ending (e.g., 'Komme!') is optional and often dropped in speech.
Du-Imperative Formation
| Infinitive | Present (du) | Imperative | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| kommen | du kommst | Komm! | Come! |
| machen | du machst | Mach! | Do!/Make! |
| gehen | du gehst | Geh! | Go! |
| lesen | du liest | Lies! | Read! |
| geben | du gibst | Gib! | Give! |
Examples
Komm her!
Come here!
Simple stem form
Lies das Buch!
Read the book!
e→ie change kept
Gib mir das!
Give me that!
e→i change kept
Warte einen Moment!
Wait a moment!
Optional -e ending
2Informal Plural (ihr-form)
The ihr-imperative is used when speaking to multiple people you know well. It is identical to the present tense ihr-form, but without the pronoun. Simply use the ihr-conjugation and drop 'ihr'. This form never changes for any verb type.
Ihr-Imperative Formation
| Infinitive | Present (ihr) | Imperative | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| kommen | ihr kommt | Kommt! | Come! (plural) |
| machen | ihr macht | Macht! | Do!/Make! |
| lesen | ihr lest | Lest! | Read! |
| geben | ihr gebt | Gebt! | Give! |
| sein | ihr seid | Seid! | Be! |
Examples
Kommt schnell!
Come quickly! (to multiple people)
Ihr-form without ihr
Macht die Tür zu!
Close the door!
Command to group
Seid ruhig!
Be quiet!
Irregular sein
Esst euer Frühstück!
Eat your breakfast!
Command to children
3Formal (Sie-form)
The Sie-imperative is used for formal situations or with strangers. Use the infinitive form + Sie (inverted). Unlike du/ihr forms, Sie always appears after the verb. This form is identical for one or multiple people and is considered polite.
Sie-Imperative Formation
| Infinitive | Imperative | English |
|---|---|---|
| kommen | Kommen Sie! | Come! (formal) |
| warten | Warten Sie! | Wait! |
| setzen | Setzen Sie sich! | Sit down! |
| sein | Seien Sie! | Be! |
| haben | Haben Sie! | Have! |
Examples
Kommen Sie bitte herein!
Please come in!
Polite with bitte
Nehmen Sie Platz!
Take a seat!
Formal invitation
Seien Sie vorsichtig!
Be careful!
Irregular: seien, not sind
Unterschreiben Sie hier!
Sign here!
Official instruction
4Special Cases and Softening Commands
Some verbs have irregular imperative forms. The verb 'sein' (to be) is especially irregular: sei (du), seid (ihr), seien Sie. To make commands more polite, add 'bitte' (please), 'doch', or 'mal'. These words soften the command and make it sound friendlier.
Irregular Imperatives
| Verb | du | ihr | Sie |
|---|---|---|---|
| sein | Sei! | Seid! | Seien Sie! |
| haben | Hab! | Habt! | Haben Sie! |
| werden | Werde! | Werdet! | Werden Sie! |
Examples
Sei bitte leise!
Please be quiet!
bitte softens command
Komm doch mal her!
Come here! (friendly tone)
doch mal = casual invitation
Hab keine Angst!
Don't be afraid!
Irregular haben
Schau mal!
Look! / Check this out!
mal makes it casual
Practice Exercises
4 exercises
Form the du-imperative of 'kommen' (to come):
Form the du-imperative of 'lesen' (to read):
Form the formal Sie-imperative of 'warten' (to wait):
What is the du-imperative of 'sein' (to be)?
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