Imperatives (Commands)
In the following, what's the subject???
I think you guessed it -- the subject is "you." The subject is not mentioned in the commands but is understood.
French has two words for "you," and they are: tu
and vous; and, therefore, it stands for reason that there are
two ways of giving that command all depending upon to whom you give the command.
I If you give a command to a relative, a friend,
or a pet you use the familiar command and
you use
Examples:
Jean,
étudie!!!! (verb: étudier) - Study Jean!
Pappa, ne chante pas! C'est horrible!
(verb: chanter) - Don't sing Dad, it's tirrible
Jeanne, finis tes devoirs! (verb:
finir) - Jeanne, finish your homework
Ma petite, choisis quelque chose!
- (verb: choisir) My little one, choose something
Maria, va avec moi! (verb:
irregular - aller) Maria, go with me!
Mon garçon, ne fais pas
de l'alpinisme! (verb: irregular - faire) My boy don't climb mountains!
II. If you give a command to more than one person
or pet (plural) or to a peron whom you should address with
"vous," you use the
vous-form of the verb.
Examples: (you can figure out what it means,
I'm sure)
Monsieur,
étudiez!!!! (verb: étudier)
Mes amis, ne chantez pas!
C'est horrible! (verb: chanter)
Jeanne et Maria , finissez vos
devoirs! (verb: finir)
Mes petites, choisissez quelque
chose! (verb: choisir)
Mesdames, allez avec moi!
(verb: irregular - aller)
Mes garçons, ne faites pas
de l'alpinisme! (verb: irregular - faire)
III. Then there is the "suggestion,"
or the "indirect imperative/command."
In English this is the "let us" command.
(Let us study; let us eat; let us danse...).
Since this addresses "us"
(nous), it stand for reason that we use the "nous-form
of the verb."
Examples:
Étudions!!!!
(verb: étudier) Let us study!!!!
Ne chantons pas! C'est horrible!
(verb: chanter) Lete us not sing, It's terrible!
Finissons nos devoirs! (verb: finir)
Let's finish our homework
Choisissons quelque chose! (verb:
choisir) Let's pick something.
Allons avec eux*! (verb: irregular
- aller) Let's go with them! eux
= them
Ne faisons pas de l'alpinisme!
(verb: irregular - faire) Let's not go mountian climbing.
IV. The verbs
être, avoir and savoir
have irregular imperatives:
avoir:
aie, ayez, ayons
être:
sois, soyez, soyons
savoir:
sache, sachez, sachez