Spanish Commands: How to Give and Understand Instructions

Commands (the imperative) are everywhere: directions, recipes, doctors' advice, parents talking to kids. Even if you rarely give commands, you need to understand them.

Tú commands (informal)

Affirmative: use the él/ella present form:

• habla, come, escribe
• ¡Mira! — Look!
• Espera. — Wait.

Irregular tú commands (very common): di (decir), haz (hacer), ve (ir), pon (poner), sal (salir), sé (ser), ten (tener), ven (venir).

• Ven aquí. — Come here.
• Pon la mesa. — Set the table.
• Ten cuidado. — Be careful.

Usted commands (formal)

Use the subjunctive form:

• hable, coma, escriba
• Siga todo recto. — Continue straight.
• Tome esta pastilla. — Take this pill.
• Pase, por favor. — Come in, please.

You'll hear these from doctors, officials and when asking directions. See Spanish at the doctor and asking for directions.

Negative commands

Always use the subjunctive:

• No hables. — Don't talk. (tú)
• No te preocupes. — Don't worry. (tú)
• No se preocupe. — Don't worry. (usted)

Pronouns attach to affirmative commands

• Dímelo. — Tell me (it).
• Siéntese. — Sit down. (usted)
• Cállate. — Be quiet.
• But: No me lo digas. — Don't tell me (pronouns go before in negatives).

Softening commands

Direct commands can sound bossy. Soften with:

• por favor
• a question: ¿Me pasas la sal?
• ¿Podrías…?

See polite Spanish phrases.

Commands you'll hear at home

¡Ven a comer!, ¡Apúrate!, ¡Cállate!, ¡Siéntate!, ¡Lávate las manos!, ¡Ponte el suéter!, ¡No hagas eso!

Practice: command or request?

Turn these direct commands into polite requests:

1. Dame agua. → ¿Me das agua, por favor?
2. Repite eso. → ¿Me lo repites?
3. Ayúdame. → ¿Me podrías ayudar?
4. Espera. → ¿Me esperas un momento?
5. Cierra la puerta. → ¿Puedes cerrar la puerta, por favor?

Now the opposite: recognize these commands you'll hear when asking for directions or at the doctor:

• Siga derecho y gire a la izquierda. — Continue straight and turn left.
• Abra la boca, por favor. — Open your mouth, please.
• Tómese esto con agua. — Take this with water.
• Espere aquí. — Wait here.
• No se mueva. — Don't move.

Mini dialogue at home

• Mamá: ¡Ven a comer! Y lávate las manos.
• You: ¡Ya voy! ¿Pongo la mesa?
• Mamá: Sí, ponla, por favor. Y no te olvides de las servilletas.

Practice

You'll hear commands in Lolo's directions and doctor calls (siga, gire, tome) and can practice responding naturally. See Spanish subjunctive for conversation.

Frequently asked questions

How do you form a tú command?

For most verbs, use the él/ella present form: habla, come.

Why are negative commands different?

They use the subjunctive: no hables, no comas.

Are commands rude in Spanish?

Not necessarily; tone and por favor matter. In families, direct commands are very common.