Imperative Forms In German

To offer orders, directives, or commands in German, you use the imperative form. To make communication direct and successful, the objective is to plainly inform someone what to do. Imperatives are common in daily life and may be seen in many contexts, such as when parents lead their children or when instructors provide assignments. In this blog post, let’s explore imperative forms in German.

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What is the imperative form in German?

An imperative form is a specialized form of the verb that is used in German for the purpose of expressing orders, instructions, or requests. It is directed at the individual or individuals to whom you are addressing and conveys the message that they should take action. The difference between imperatives and regular sentences is that imperatives are action-oriented and often begin with the verb itself. Regular sentences describe or state activities.

• Komm hier! → Come here!

• Lies das Buch! → Read the book!

How do you form imperatives with du/ihr/Sie?

When you speak German, the right technique to make the imperative depends on who you are talking to. To use the verb stem for “du” (informal singular), people usually take the “-st” off the present tense. It is usual to take the “-st” from the verb stem, for example. To use the informal plural form of ihr, leave off the pronoun and use the present tense form of ihr. For instance, “come!” To use Sie in a formal way, you should use the whole verb with Sie after it. “Kommen Sie!” means “come!” for example. With this approach, instructions may be either official or casual, depending on who they are intended for. If you add the word “please,” the demand will be much more polite.

du (informal singular suffix)

In the present tense, begin with the stem of the verb and remove the ending -st from the sentence.

eg:

• du machst → Mach! (Do!)

• du gehst → Geh! (Go!)

ihr (informal plural)

If you do not use the pronoun, use the ihr-form of the verb.

eg:

• ihr macht → Macht! (You all do!)

• ihr geht → Geht! (You all go!)

Sie (formal singular and plural)

When using the verb with the pronoun, use the Sie-form, and add! at the conclusion of the sentence.

eg:

• Sie machen → Machen Sie! (Please do!)

• Sie gehen → Gehen Sie! (Please go!)

Are imperatives different from irregular verbs?

Certain irregular verbs in German do, in fact, have specific imperative forms that do not adhere to the regulations that are typically followed. However, irregular verbs have the ability to modify either their stem or their spelling when they are used in imperatives, while regular verbs simply employ the verb stem for du or the ihr-form for plural.

Examples:

• Sei ruhig! → Be quiet!

• Macht eure Hausaufgaben! → Do your homework!

• Gehen Sie bitte hier entlang. → Please go this way.

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How do you make polite commands?

When making polite instructions in German, it is common practice to use the formal Sie-form of the verb and often add the phrase “bitte” (which translates to “please”). In order to make the command respectable and courteous, this form is used when speaking to those who are unfamiliar with you, older people, or in professional situations.

The rules of formation:

• Verbs should be written in the Sie form.
• Do not change the pronoun Sie.
• The word “bitte” is often used but not required for further politeness.
• Utilize an exclamation mark to conclude.

Conclusion

The imperative form is necessary for German instructions, directions, and polite requests. It changes depending on who you are talking to: du for casual singular, ihr for informal plural, and Sie for formal contexts. You should memorize the peculiar forms of verbs like haben and sein that don’t follow a typical pattern. Adding “bitte” to the formal Sie-form makes commands polite and respectful. To speak German effectively and accurately in everyday circumstances, people need to know how to use the imperatives.