Formal Commands (Usted and ustedes commands)
You use formal commands to:
•
To tell someone respectfully to do something.
•
To tell someone respectfully to not do something.
•
If the subject is plural, use Uds. Commands.
Formation of Ud./Uds. Commands
Begin with the yo form present-tense of the verb
Cantar
Yo Canto
drop the “o” ending Now you have cant
Then, for Ud. commands, add an –e ending for –ar verbs and an –a ending for –er or –ir ending verbs.
For Ustedes commands add an –en for –ar verbs and an –an for –er or –ir ending verbs.
Ex Cantar
Usted- ¡Cante! = Sing! (Speaking to one person)
Usted- ¡No cante! = Don’t sing!
Ustedes- ¡Canten! = Sing! (to more than one person)
Ustedes-¡No canten! = Don’t sing!
To make the command negative, just put “no” in front of the command form.
Regular ER/IR verbs
Vender = Usted ¡Venda!
Usted ¡No venda!
Ustede ¡Vendan!
Ustedes ¡No vendan!
*Regular –ir ending verbs will end this
vivir
viv
same way.
viva/vivan
Some verbs have very irregular yo forms and are therefore irregular in the command form…you have to MEMORIZE
these irregulars!
Ud./Uds.
Verb
Yo form
command
Dar
(doy)
Estar (estoy)
Ir
dé/den
esté/estén
(voy)
vaya/vayan
Saber (sé)
sepa/sepan
Ser
sea/sean
(soy)