The German Imperative

Introduction to the Imperative

The imperative mood is used in German to give commands, instructions, requests, or advice. It allows the speaker to address one or more people directly in a clear and concise way. Unlike English, German has different imperative forms depending on the person and number of the addressee.

There are three main forms of the imperative in German corresponding to the pronouns du (you, singular informal), ihr (you, plural informal), and Sie (you formal singular and plural).

Forms of the Imperative

The imperative forms depend on the subject pronoun and the verb conjugation. Here is an overview:

Imperative with "du"

For the informal singular "du," the imperative is formed by using the verb stem without the personal ending -st. In many cases, the final -e of the stem can be omitted for smoother pronunciation, although it is sometimes kept for clarity or formality.

Example verbs:

Note that irregular verbs often follow the same pattern but with irregular stems:

Imperative with "ihr"

The informal plural "ihr" form of the imperative is simply the present tense conjugation of the verb without the pronoun. This form is used when addressing more than one person informally.

Remember, the verb ends with -t in this form, just like the normal "ihr" conjugation.

Imperative with "Sie"

The formal imperative uses the same verb form as the present tense but always places the pronoun Sie after the verb. This form is used to politely address one or more people.

This form is always polite and is the safest choice in formal situations.

Imperative with Modal Verbs

Modal verbs can also be used in the imperative mood but are less common. When used, the imperative is usually formed with the verb stem and the modal verb, often combined with other verbs in the infinitive.

More commonly, modal verbs appear in polite requests with Sie:

Note that modal verbs in the imperative require attention to word order and politeness.

Practice Examples

Try translating these commands into German using the correct imperative form:

1. Speak louder! (informal singular)
2. Listen carefully! (informal plural)
3. Open the window, please! (formal)

Answers:

Tips for Remembering Rules

• For du, remember to drop the -st ending and often omit the final -e.
• The ihr form looks like the normal present tense ihr conjugation but without the pronoun.
• The formal Sie imperative always includes Sie after the verb.
• Use polite forms in formal situations to avoid sounding rude.
• Practice common verbs first to get used to irregularities (e.g., sein, haben, kommen).
• When in doubt, use the formal imperative for safety.