Mastering Spanish Informal Commands (Tú Commands)

Understanding Informal Commands in Spanish

Informal commands (mandatos informales) are essential for everyday communication in Spanish with friends, family, and people you’re familiar with. At the DELE B1 level, you need to master both affirmative and negative commands for “tú” (informal you).

Take our DELE B1 Informal Commands Quiz to test your understanding:
DELE B1 Practice: Informal Commands Quiz

When to Use Tú Commands

Tú commands are used when:

• Speaking to friends or peers
• Addressing family members
• Talking to children
• In informal social situations
• With people you know well

Key Distinction:

• Tú commands: Informal, used with people you’re familiar with
• Ud. commands: Formal, used with strangers, elders, or in professional settings

How to Form Affirmative Tú Commands

Regular Verb Formation

-AR verbs (hablar, comer, vivir)

• Use the 3rd person singular present indicative form
  • Habla más despacio. (Speak more slowly.)
  • Come tus verduras. (Eat your vegetables.)
  • Escribe la carta. (Write the letter.)

Quick Formation Rule:

For regular verbs, simply use the “él/ella” form of the present tense.

How to Form Negative Tú Commands

Regular Verb Formation

Use “no” + present subjunctive form:

-AR verbs

• No hables tan rápido. (Don’t speak so fast.)
• No comas tanto dulce. (Don’t eat so much candy.)
• No escribas en la pared. (Don’t write on the wall.)

Quick Formation Rule:

For negative commands, use “no” + the “tú” form of the present subjunctive.

Essential Irregular Affirmative Commands

The “Eight Irregulars” – Must Memorize!

1. Decir → di
   • Di la verdad. (Tell the truth.)
2. Hacer → haz
   • Haz tu tarea. (Do your homework.)
3. Ir → ve
   • Ve a la tienda. (Go to the store.)
4. Poner → pon
   • Pon la mesa. (Set the table.)
5. Salir → sal
   • Sal con cuidado. (Leave carefully.)
6. Ser → sé
   • Sé amable. (Be kind.)
7. Tener → ten
   • Ten paciencia. (Have patience.)
8. Venir → ven
   • Ven aquí. (Come here.)

Irregular Negative Commands

For negative commands, irregular verbs use the same subjunctive forms as other verbs:

• No digas mentiras. (Don’t tell lies.)
• No hagas eso. (Don’t do that.)
• No vayas allí. (Don’t go there.)
• No pongas excusas. (Don’t make excuses.)

Stem-Changing Verbs in Commands

Affirmative Commands

Stem changes are maintained:

• Volver (o→ue): Vuelve pronto. (Come back soon.)
• Pedir (e→i): Pide ayuda. (Ask for help.)
• Entender (e→ie): Entiende la situación. (Understand the situation.)

Negative Commands

Use subjunctive forms with stem changes:

• No vuelvas tarde. (Don’t come back late.)
• No pidas demasiado. (Don’t ask for too much.)
• No entiendas mal. (Don’t misunderstand.)

Commands with Reflexive Verbs

Affirmative Reflexive Commands

Attach the pronoun to the command:

• Levántate temprano. (Wake up early.)
• Lávate las manos. (Wash your hands.)
• Siéntate aquí. (Sit here.)

Negative Reflexive Commands

Place the pronoun before the verb:

• No te levantes tarde. (Don’t wake up late.)
• No te laves con agua fría. (Don’t wash with cold water.)
• No te sientes allí. (Don’t sit there.)

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Error 1: Using Wrong Form for Affirmative

• ❌ Incorrect: Hables más alto.
• ✅ Correct: Habla más alto.

Error 2: Using Affirmative Form for Negative

• ❌ Incorrect: No habla aquí.
• ✅ Correct: No hables aquí.

Error 3: Forgetting Irregular Forms

• ❌ Incorrect: Pone la mesa.
• ✅ Correct: Pon la mesa.

Error 4: Incorrect Pronoun Placement

• ❌ Incorrect: Levanta te temprano.
• ✅ Correct: Levántate temprano.

DELE B1 Exam Focus Areas

The DELE B1 exam tests your ability to:

• Use tú commands in appropriate informal contexts
• Distinguish between affirmative and negative forms
• Apply irregular command forms correctly
• Use commands with reflexive verbs
• Recognize when informal commands are appropriate

Pronunciation and Accentuation

Written Accents

Affirmative commands with attached pronouns often need written accents:

• Prepárame → Prepáramelo (Prepare it for me)
• Dime → Dímelo (Tell me it)

Stress Patterns

• Affirmative: HÁ-bla, CÓ-me, ES-cri-be
• Negative: no HAB-les, no CO-mas, no es-CRI-bas

Practical Usage Scenarios

With Friends and Family

• Ven a mi fiesta. (Come to my party.)
• No llegues tarde. (Don’t arrive late.)
• Ayuda a tu hermano. (Help your brother.)

Daily Routines

• Despiértame a las siete. (Wake me up at seven.)
• Prepara el desayuno. (Prepare breakfast.)
• No olvides tus llaves. (Don’t forget your keys.)

Giving Advice

• Estudia para el examen. (Study for the exam.)
• Descansa un poco. (Rest a bit.)
• No te preocupes tanto. (Don’t worry so much.)

Practice Tips for DELE Success

1. Memorize the irregulars – The eight irregular affirmative commands are essential
2. Practice with real scenarios – Create dialogues with friends and family
3. Use audio resources – Listen to native speakers using informal commands
4. Write short conversations – Practice both giving and receiving commands
5. Review regularly – Commands need frequent practice to become automatic

Cultural Notes

Regional Variations

• In some regions, “vos” commands are used instead of “tú”
• The usage of tú vs. usted varies by country and context
• Always observe how native speakers address each other

Politeness Considerations

• Even with tú commands, adding “por favor” maintains politeness
• Tone of voice matters in informal commands
• Consider relationship closeness when choosing command form

Ready to Test Your Knowledge?

Now that you’ve learned the rules and seen numerous examples, it’s time to practice! We’ve created an interactive quiz specifically focused on informal commands for the DELE B1 exam.

Take our DELE B1 Informal Commands Quiz to test your understanding:
DELE B1 Practice: Informal Commands Quiz

The quiz includes 15 targeted questions with immediate feedback and detailed explanations – perfect for reinforcing what you’ve learned in this guide!

Final Exam Strategy

Remember these key points for your DELE B1 exam:

• Informal contexts = Use tú commands
• Affirmative commands = Use 3rd person singular present indicative
• Negative commands = Use “no” + present subjunctive
• Eight irregulars = Must memorize: di, haz, ve, pon, sal, sé, ten, ven
• Reflexive verbs = Attach pronouns (affirmative) or place before (negative)

With consistent practice, you’ll be able to use informal commands naturally in your DELE B1 exam and everyday Spanish conversations with friends and family.

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Looking for more DELE B1 preparation resources? Explore our complete collection of Spanish grammar guides and practice tests at SpanishGrammar.net