Nom: _______________________________

The imperative

You use the imperative (command) form of a verb when you are telling someone what to do,
or not to do:
Read this book! Don’t go there!

In French, you use the tu, nous, or vous forms of a verb to give commands:

The Tu form:
When telling one person (familiar form) what to do, use the tu form of the verb:
When the verb is an –er verb, drop the –s of the tu form. –Re and –Ir verbs keep the s.
Verb Imperative Verb Imperative
choisir (to choose) Choisis! (choose!) finir – to finish, end Finis! (finish!)
attendre (to wait for) Attends! (wait!) vendre – to sell Vends! (sell!)
écouter (to listen to) Écoute! (listen!) regarder – to look at, Regarde! (look!)
(-er verb, drop the-s) watch (-er verb, drop the –
s)

The Nous form:

When telling a group of people, including yourself, what to do, use the nous form of the
verb:(Let’s…..)
Verb Imperative Verb Imperative
choisir Choisissons! Let’s finir Finissons! Let’s
choose! finish!
attendre Attendons! Let’s vendre Vendons! let’s sell!
wait!
écouter Écoutons! Let’s regarder Regardons! Let’s
listen! watch!

The Vous form:

When telling a group of people, or someone you are not familiar with, what to do, use the
vous form of the verb:
Verb Imperative Verb Imperative
choisir Choisissez! Choose! finir Finissez! Finish!
attendre Attendez! Wait! vendre Vendez! Sell!
écouter Écoutez! Listen! regarder Regardez! Watch!/
Look!
L’IMPÉRATIF
Nom: _______________________________

Change these sentences from the present tense to the imperative form.

Present tense Imperative

Prends de la pizza!
1.Tu prends de la pizza.

2.Nous jouons au foot.

3. Tu perds tes devoirs.

4. Vous allez à la piscine.

5. Tu fais du ski.

6. Tu viens avec moi.

7. Tu manges de la glace.

8. Vous regardez la télé.

9. Vous étudiez le vocabulaire

10. Tu choisis une boisson

11. Tu vas à la bibliothèque

12. Nous jouons au hockey

13.Nous allons au centre
commercial.
14. Vous mangez du bacon.