Informal Commands in Spanish: A2 Grammar Guide

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Key Takeaways

• Master the conjugation rules for affirmative and negative tú commands
• Learn how to form informal commands with regular and irregular verbs
• Understand when to use tú commands with friends, family, and children
• Practice giving instructions, advice, and making requests informally
• Learn pronoun placement with affirmative and negative commands

Give Instructions Like a Native Speaker

Tú commands are how you give instructions, make requests, or offer advice to someone you address as “tú” (a friend, family member, or peer). Mastering these commands will help you speak more naturally in everyday situations, from cooking with friends to giving directions.

Affirmative Tú Commands (Mandatos Afirmativos de Tú)

Table: Regular Affirmative Commands – Simple and direct

Verb Type	Rule	Example	Command	Translation
-AR Verbs	Use 3rd person singular present	hablar → habla	Habla más despacio.	Speak more slowly.
-ER Verbs	Use 3rd person singular present	comer → come	Come tus verduras.	Eat your vegetables.
-IR Verbs	Use 3rd person singular present	vivir → vive	Vive tu vida.	Live your life.

💡 Grammar Tip: For regular verbs, the affirmative tú command is identical to the él/ella form of the present tense. “He speaks” = “habla” → “You, speak!” = “¡Habla!”

Common Irregular Affirmative Commands

Infinitive	Command	Example Sentence	Translation
Decir	di	Di la verdad.	Tell the truth.
Hacer	haz	Haz tu tarea.	Do your homework.
Ir	ve	Ve a la tienda.	Go to the store.
Poner	pon	Pon la mesa.	Set the table.
Salir	sal	Sal ahora.	Leave now.
Ser	sé	Sé amable.	Be kind.
Tener	ten	Ten cuidado.	Be careful.
Venir	ven	Ven aquí.	Come here.

🔍 Grammar Focus: Remember the acronym DISHES for the main irregular affirmative commands: Decir, Ir, Ser, Hacer, Estar, Saber (but note: estar → está, saber → sabe – these are regular in form but included in the acronym).

💻 Practice Conjugations Live! Use our Spanish Verb Conjugation Tool to practice command forms with any verb.

Negative Tú Commands (Mandatos Negativos de Tú)

Verb Type	Rule	Example	Command	Translation
-AR Verbs	Use -es ending	hablar → hables	No hables tan rápido.	Don’t speak so fast.
-ER Verbs	Use -as ending	comer → comas	No comas eso.	Don’t eat that.
-IR Verbs	Use -as ending	vivir → vivas	No vivas con miedo.	Don’t live in fear.

💡 Grammar Tip: For negative commands, think of the yo form present tense, drop the -o, and add the opposite ending: -AR → -es, -ER/-IR → -as.

Stem-Changing Verbs in Commands

Affirmative Commands: Stem changes occur as in present tense:

• pensar: piensa (Think!)
• volver: vuelve (Return!)
• pedir: pide (Ask for!)

Negative Commands: Stem changes occur in all forms:

• pensar: no pienses (Don’t think!)
• volver: no vuelvas (Don’t return!)
• pedir: no pidas (Don’t ask for!)

Pronoun Placement with Commands

With Affirmative Commands: Attach pronouns to the end

• “Tell me” → Dime
• “Buy it” → Cómpralo
• “Give it to me” → Dámelo

With Negative Commands: Place pronouns before the verb

• “Don’t tell me” → No me digas
• “Don’t buy it” → No lo compres
• “Don’t give it to me” → No me lo des

Putting It All Together: Everyday Situations

Scenario 1: Cooking Together
Ana: Pon la mesa, por favor. Corta las verduras y echa sal.
Carlos: ¿Abre la botella de vino?
Ana: Sí, ábrela. Pero no bebas demasiado.
Carlos: No te preocupes. Solo toma un poco.

Translation:
Ana: Set the table, please. Cut the vegetables and add salt.
Carlos: Should I open the wine bottle?
Ana: Yes, open it. But don’t drink too much.
Carlos: Don’t worry. I’ll just have a little.

Scenario 2: Getting Ready to Go Out
Madre: Levántate ahora. Lávate la cara y vístete rápido.
Hijo: No me apures. Espérame un minuto.
Madre: No llegues tarde. Sé responsable.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Using subject pronouns: Don’t say “Tú habla” – just “Habla.”
2. Confusing affirmative/negative: “Habla” vs “No hables” – different forms!
3. Wrong pronoun placement: “Dime” (correct) vs “Me di” (incorrect).
4. Forgetting irregulars: “Hazlo” not “Hacelo.”
5. Using formal commands informally: “Hable” (usted) vs “Habla” (tú).

Quick Reference Chart

Situation	Rule	Example
Affirmative Regular	Use él/ella present form	Habla, Come, Vive
Affirmative Irregular	Memorize DISHES verbs	Di, Haz, Ve, Pon…
Negative Regular	yo form minus -o + opposite ending	No hables, No comas
Pronouns Affirmative	Attach to end	Dímelo
Pronouns Negative	Place before verb	No me lo digas
Stem Changes	Same as present tense	Piensa, No pienses

Practice Exercise: Convert to Commands

Convert these sentences to informal commands:

1. (Affirmative) You speak Spanish. → ________ español.
2. (Negative) You don’t eat that. → No ________ eso.
3. (Affirmative) You tell me. → ________.
4. (Negative) You don’t go. → No ________.

Answers:

1. Habla español.
2. No comas eso.
3. Dime.
4. No vayas.

💻 Practice Conjugations Live! Use our Spanish Verb Conjugation Tool to practice command forms with any verb.

Ready to Give Commands?

Think you’ve mastered informal commands? Test your ability to give instructions and advice in Spanish!

Take Our Informal Commands Quiz ►

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