Exercise 6: The Imperative (Imperativ)
What is the imperative?
The imperative is used for giving orders or instructing people to do things. In English, the imperative works by using the infinitive form of the verb: Go home! Open your books! Close the window! Whether you are addressing only one person or several, it does not change.
Four different forms in German
The imperative in German is a bit more complicated. There are different forms depending on whether you are addressing one person only or more than one. German also distinguishes between the formal and informal mode of address in the imperative.
Four Forms Visualizer
Compare the different imperative forms side by side:
| Infinitive | du (singular informal) | Sie (singular formal) | ihr (plural informal) | Sie (plural formal) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| kommen (to come) | Komm! | Kommen Sie! | Kommt! | Kommen Sie! |
| warten (to wait) | Warte. | Warten Sie. | Wartet. | Warten Sie. |
| sprechen (to speak) | Sprich! | Sprechen Sie! | Sprecht! | Sprechen Sie! |
Formation Rules
1. Addressing one person informally (du form)
Use the stem of the verb without an ending:
- kommen → komm | Komm her! (Come here!)
- trinken → trink | Trink weniger. (Drink less.)
- Verbs ending in d, t, consonant + m/n add -e: warten → warte, atmen → atme
- Verbs with stem vowel change (e→i, e→ie) keep it: sprechen → sprich, lesen → lies
- But a→ä verbs don't change: fahren → fahr, tragen → trag
2. Addressing one person formally (Sie form)
Use the present-tense Sie form with pronoun Sie after the verb:
- kommen → Kommen Sie, bitte. (Please come.)
- warten → Warten Sie! (Wait!)
3. Addressing multiple people informally (ihr form)
Add -t to the stem (like ihr present tense):
- kommen → Kommt, bitte!
- warten → Wartet! (add -et for stems ending in d/t/m/n)
4. Separable Verbs
The prefix splits off and moves to the end of the clause:
Haben and Sein
These behave like regular verbs:
- haben → Hab Geduld. (Be patient.)
- sein → Sei vorsichtig. (Be careful.)
Formation Simulator
Enter any German infinitive to see all imperative forms:
Command Context Selector
Select a scenario to see which form is appropriate:
Waiter: "Kommen Sie bitte herein. Nehmen Sie Platz."
Use formal address with staff and strangers.
Parent to child: "Iss dein Gemüse! Sei leise."
Parent to children: "Kommt her! Setzt euch."
Use informal address with family and close friends.
Traditional: "Können Sie das bitte bis Freitag schaffen?"
Modern: "Bring mir bitte den Kaffee." (if per du)
When in doubt, use Sie until invited to use du.
Checklist
Exercise 6.1: Sie Form Commands
Use formal address (Sie form)Complete these commands using the verbs in brackets. Remember to include Sie after the verb.
Exercise 6.2: Du Form Commands
Rewrite Exercise 6.1 using informal singular (du form)Convert the formal commands to informal (du) form. Remember: no pronoun, use the stem!
Exercise 6.3: Health Advice (Du Form)
Giving advice to a close friendYou are giving your close friend advice about her health. Put the following in the command form, using the du form.
Exercise 6.4: Translation Practice
Translate to German using all three command formsTranslate the following sentences. To practise all command forms in German, enter first the Sie form, then the du form, and finally the ihr form.