| 17.2 Formation of the imperative |
The rules for the formation of the imperative are quite simple. The imperative is identical with the normal present form. The only exception is the group of verbs ending in -er, here the -s in the second person singular is omitted.
| overview |
| Personal pronoun |
-er | -ir | ||
| present | imperative | present | imperative | |
| acheter (to buy) | finir (to finish) | |||
| je / j' (I) |
achète (buy) |
- | finis (finish) |
- |
| tu (you) |
achètes (buy) |
achète (Buy!) | finis (finish) |
finis (Finish!) |
| il / elle (he/she) | achète (buys) | - | finit (finishes) |
- |
| nous (we) |
achetons (buy) | achetons (Let's buy) | finissons (finish) | finissons (Let's finish) |
| vous (you) |
achetez (buy) | achetez (buy) | finissez (finish) | finissez (Finish!) |
| ils / elles (they) | achètent (buy) | - | finissent (finish) | - |
| Personal pronoun |
-re | -oir | ||
| present | imperative | present | imperative | |
| prendre (to take) | recevoir (to receive) | |||
| je / j' (I) |
prends (take) |
- | reçois (receive) |
- |
| tu (you) |
prends (take) |
prends (Take!) | reçois (receive) |
reçois (Receive!) |
| il / elle (he/she) | prend (takes) | - | reçoit (receives) | - |
| nous (we) |
prenons (take) | prenons (Let's take) |
recevons (receive) | recevons (Let's receive) |
| vous (you) |
prenez (take) | prenez (Take!) | recevez (receive) | recevez (Receive!) |
| ils / elles (they) | prennent (take) | - | recoivent (receive) | - |
As always, there is no rule without exception. Already in the chapter conjugation in present tense we have seen that there are verbs ending in -ir that are conjugated as verbs -er. Here, it does also mean that these verbs also omit the final -s as verbs ending in -er.
| couvrir = to cover | |
| Couvre! = Cover! | |
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