Mastering Spanish Formal Commands (Ud. and Uds.)

Understanding Formal Commands in Spanish

Formal commands (mandatos formales) are essential for polite communication in Spanish, especially in professional, academic, and formal social situations. At the DELE B1 level, you need to master both affirmative and negative commands for “usted” (Ud.) and “ustedes” (Uds.).

What Are Formal Commands?

Formal commands are used when:

• Addressing someone with respect (usted)
• Speaking to a group formally (ustedes)
• In professional settings, with elders, or with people you don’t know well

Key Difference:

• Ud.: Singular formal “you”
• Uds.: Plural formal “you” (used in Spain for plural, in Latin America for both formal and informal plural)

How to Form Affirmative Formal Commands

Regular Verb Formation

-AR verbs (hablar, comer, vivir)

• Ud.: Take “yo” form, remove -o, add opposite vowel ending
  • Hable más despacio, por favor. (Speak more slowly, please.)
• Uds.: Add -n to Ud. form
  • Hablen con el director. (Speak with the director.)

-ER verbs

• Ud.: comer → coma
  • Coma más verduras, señor. (Eat more vegetables, sir.)
• Uds.: coman
  • Coman en el restaurante. (Eat at the restaurant.)

-IR verbs

• Ud.: vivir → viva
  • Viva en esta casa, señora. (Live in this house, ma’am.)
• Uds.: vivan
  • Vivan felices aquí. (Live happily here.)

How to Form Negative Formal Commands

Regular Verb Formation

Simply add “no” before the affirmative command form:

-AR verbs

• Ud.: No hable tan rápido. (Don’t speak so fast.)
• Uds.: No hablen durante la película. (Don’t speak during the movie.)

-ER verbs

• Ud.: No coma tanto azúcar. (Don’t eat so much sugar.)
• Uds.: No coman en la biblioteca. (Don’t eat in the library.)

-IR verbs

• Ud.: No escriba en el libro. (Don’t write in the book.)
• Uds.: No escriban sus nombres aquí. (Don’t write your names here.)

Common Irregular Formal Commands

Essential Irregular Verbs

1. Dar (to give)
   • Ud.: dé | Uds.: den
   • Dé el documento al secretario. (Give the document to the secretary.)
2. Estar (to be)
   • Ud.: esté | Uds.: estén
   • Esté tranquilo, señor. (Be calm, sir.)
3. Ir (to go)
   • Ud.: vaya | Uds.: vayan
   • Vaya a la oficina. (Go to the office.)
4. Saber (to know)
   • Ud.: sepa | Uds.: sepan
   • Sepa que lo ayudaremos. (Know that we will help you.)
5. Ser (to be)
   • Ud.: sea | Uds.: sean
   • Sea puntual, por favor. (Be punctual, please.)

Commands with Reflexive Verbs

Affirmative Reflexive Commands

• Ud.: Attach “se” to the command
  • Siéntese aquí, por favor. (Sit here, please.)
• Uds.: Attach “se” to the command
  • Levántense temprano. (Wake up early.)

Negative Reflexive Commands

• Ud.: Place “se” before the verb
  • No se preocupe, señor. (Don’t worry, sir.)
• Uds.: Place “se” before the verb
  • No se vayan todavía. (Don’t leave yet.)

Stem-Changing Verbs in Commands

Common Stem Changers

1. Volver (o→ue)
   • Ud.: vuelva | Uds.: vuelvan
   • Vuelva mañana. (Come back tomorrow.)
2. Pedir (e→i)
   • Ud.: pida | Uds.: pidan
   • Pida la cuenta. (Ask for the bill.)
3. Entender (e→ie)
   • Ud.: entienda | Uds.: entiendan
   • Entienda la situación. (Understand the situation.)

DELE B1 Exam Focus Areas

The DELE B1 exam tests your ability to:

• Use formal commands in appropriate contexts
• Distinguish between Ud. and Uds. commands
• Form both affirmative and negative commands correctly
• Use commands with irregular and stem-changing verbs
• Apply commands in written and spoken tasks

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Error 1: Using Informal Commands Formally

• ❌ Incorrect: Habla con el director. (Too informal)
• ✅ Correct: Hable con el director. (Formal)

Error 2: Incorrect Negative Command Placement

• ❌ Incorrect: Hable no aquí.
• ✅ Correct: No hable aquí.

Error 3: Forgetting Stem Changes

• ❌ Incorrect: Pede la cuenta.
• ✅ Correct: Pida la cuenta.

Practical Usage Scenarios

In Professional Settings

• En la oficina: Firme aquí, por favor. (Sign here, please.)
• En la escuela: Estudien para el examen. (Study for the exam.)

In Public Places

• En el aeropuerto: Muestre su pasaporte. (Show your passport.)
• En el hotel: Deje las llaves en recepción. (Leave the keys at reception.)

With Service Providers

• En el restaurante: Traiga la cuenta, por favor. (Bring the bill, please.)
• En la tienda: Enséñeme ese modelo. (Show me that model.)

Pronunciation Tips

• Stress falls on the same syllable as in the infinitive
• HÁ-ble-me (speak to me)
• ES-cri-ba (write)
• EN-tien-dan (understand)

Practice Tips for DELE Success

1. Learn irregulars first – Master the most common irregular commands
2. Practice with scenarios – Create real-life situations for command usage
3. Use audio resources – Listen to native speakers using formal commands
4. Write dialogues – Create conversations using Ud./Uds. commands
5. Review regularly – Commands need consistent practice

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 formal commands for the DELE B1 exam.

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

• Formal situations = Always use Ud./Uds. commands
• Affirmative commands = Use present subjunctive forms
• Negative commands = Add “no” before the verb
• Reflexive verbs = Attach “se” (affirmative) or place before (negative)
• Practice context = Know when formal commands are appropriate

With consistent practice, you’ll be able to use formal commands confidently in your DELE B1 exam and real-life Spanish interactions.

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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