Spanish
Grade 6
15 min
El Imperativo Formal: Dando Instrucciones y Consejos Profesionales
Practicing the formal imperative to give instructions and professional advice.
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1
Introduction & Learning Objectives
Learning Objectives
Identify when to use the formal imperative (usted/ustedes).
Correctly conjugate regular -AR, -ER, and -IR verbs in the formal imperative.
Form negative formal commands.
Attach reflexive and direct object pronouns to affirmative formal commands.
By the end of a lesson, students will be able to place pronouns correctly before negative formal commands.
Write simple, professional instructions and advice for an adult, such as a teacher or a guest speaker.
Imagine the principal asks you for help setting up the new computer. How would you give instructions respectfully? 💻🧑🏫
In this lesson, you will learn how to give polite and professional commands in Spanish using the 'imperativo formal'. This is the way you give instructions or advice to adults...
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Key Concepts & Vocabulary
TermDefinitionExample
Imperativo FormalThe command form of a verb used to give instructions or orders to people you address with respect (usted) or to a group (ustedes).Señor, hable más despacio, por favor. (Sir, speak more slowly, please.)
Usted (Ud.)The formal, singular 'you'. You use it when talking to one person you don't know well, an elder, or someone in a position of authority.Usted necesita firmar aquí. (You need to sign here.)
Ustedes (Uds.)The formal, plural 'you'. You use it when talking to any group of two or more people in Latin America, or a formal group in Spain.Ustedes, por favor, siéntense. (You all, please, sit down.)
La Regla de la Vocal Opuesta (The Opposite Vowel Rule)The main trick for forming formal commands. Verbs ending in -AR use 'e&...
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Grammar Rules & Patterns
Forming Regular Formal Commands (The Opposite Vowel Rule)
1. Start with the 'yo' form of the verb in the present tense. 2. Drop the '-o'. 3. Add the 'opposite' vowel ending: '-e' for -AR verbs, '-a' for -ER/-IR verbs. Add '-n' for 'ustedes'.
This is the primary pattern for creating almost all formal commands. For example, for 'escribir': yo escribo -> escrib- -> escriba (usted) / escriban (ustedes).
Pronoun Placement for Commands
Affirmative: Attach pronouns to the end of the verb. Negative: Place pronouns before the verb.
For positive commands, the pronoun becomes part of the verb word. For negative commands, it stays a separate word before the verb. Remember to add an accent to the verb i...
4 more steps in this tutorial
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Sign Up Free to ContinueSample Practice Questions
Challenging
The verb 'oír' (to hear) has a 'yo' form of 'oigo'. How would you tell a group of judges ('ustedes'), 'Don't hear the excuses' ('no oír las excusas') and then 'Don't hear them'?
A.No oiganlas.
B.No las oigan.
C.No óiganlas.
D.No las oyen.
Challenging
A tour guide needs to tell a group of adults to follow her ('seguirme') and not to get lost ('no perderse'). 'Seguir' (e:i) and 'perder' (e:ie) are stem-changing. Which pair of commands is correct?
A.Síganme y no se pierdan.
B.Seguidme y no os perdáis.
C.Síguenme y no se pierden.
D.Siganme y no piérdanse.
Challenging
Analyze the difference: 1. 'Póngase el sombrero.' 2. 'No se ponga el sombrero.' What is the single most important grammatical rule difference shown here regarding pronouns?
A.The verb conjugation changes.
B.The meaning of 'se' changes.
C.The placement of the pronoun 'se' changes based on whether the command is affirmative or negative.
D.An accent mark is required for negative commands.
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