French tense
French Impératif
The command mood for orders, suggestions, requests, advice, recipes, and instructions using only tu, nous, and vous.
When to use Impératif
Command or request
Tell one person or a group what to do, without the subject pronoun.
Prends une chaise.
Take a seat.
Shared suggestion
Use nous for let's-style proposals.
Allons au parc !
Let's go to the park!
Instructions
Use it for procedures, signs, manuals, and recipes.
Coupez les oignons.
Cut the onions.
How to form Impératif
Use the present tu, nous, and vous forms without subject pronouns. Group 1-style tu forms drop final s; four verbs have special forms.
Patterns and conjugation examples
Tu / nous / vous only
Regular. Use the present forms and omit the subject pronoun.
partir , to depart
| tu | pars |
|---|---|
| nous | partons |
| vous | partez |
Drop tu -s
Transformation. Regular -er verbs and aller drop final s in the ordinary tu command.
parler , to speak
| tu | parle |
|---|---|
| nous | parlons |
| vous | parlez |
Reflexive placement
Tense formation. Attach toi after an affirmative command; place te before a negative command.
lever , to raise
| lève-toi | |
| levons-nous | |
| levez-vous |
Highly irregular verbs
- être → soyons
- avoir → ayons
- savoir → sachons
- vouloir → veuillons