L'imperatif

L’impératif (the imperative) is used to give orders or advice to one or more people. 

The imperative only exists in the second person singular (tu), the first person plural (nous) and the second person plural (vous).

The imperative is conjugated in the same way as the present tense, but the subject pronouns are omitted.

The imperative is a mood that we use to give an order or a suggestion to one or more people.

Examples:

Arrêtez !

Montez !

Conduisez-moi à la gare !

Sometimes we include ourselves in the order and use the imperative in the first person plural form (nous). This is similar to the English let’s + infinitive.

Example:

Allons-y !

2nd person singular (tu)

We conjugate the imperative in the 2nd person singular using the present-tense form of the 1st person singular. We do not include the subject pronoun (tu).

This means that regular -er verbs end with -e, while all other verbs end with -s. For irregular present-tense forms

parler – Parle !

finir – Finis !

vendre – Vends !

The imperative for the 1st person plural form nous is the same as the present-tense form. This means that for -er and -re verbs and irregular verbs we add -ons, and for ir-verbs that are conjugated like finir we add -issons. The subject pronoun (nous) is omitted.

parler – Parlons !

finir – Finissons !

vendre – Vendons !

This conjugation includes yourself and is the English equivalent of Let's ...

The imperative for the 2nd person plural form vous is the same as the present-tense form. This means that for -er and -re verbs and irregular verbs we add -ez, and for -ir verbs that are conjugated like finir we add -issez. The pronoun (vous) is omitted.

parler – Parlez !

finir – Finissez !

vendre – Vendez !

We also use this form in polite requests.

Attendez, madame.

Veuillez vous asseoir