Gli Imperativi
Giving commands in Italian
What is an Imperative?
Imperatives are commands or pleas to do something.
Some examples in English would be:
Look!
Stop!
Let’s go!
Imperatives in Italian
Commands in Italian can only be given in the tu, noi,
voi, Lei and Loro forms.
Affirmative commands are those where you are
telling someone to do something.
The following are command forms for ARE verbs:
tu
noi
voi
Guarda!*
Guardiamo!
Guardate!
*Tu command forms of Regular ARE verbs changes
the last letter to an ‘a’.
Imperatives in Italian
The following are command forms for ERE verbs:
tu
Prendi!
noi
Prendiamo!
voi
Prendete!
The following are command forms for IRE verbs:
tu
Finisci!
noi
Finiamo!
voi
Finite!
Negative Imperatives
The following are negative command forms for
regular ARE verbs:
tu
noi
Non guardate!* Non guardiamo!
voi
Non guardate!
*When forming a negative command in the “tu” form
with a regular ARE , ERE or IRE verb, use non + the
inifinitive.
Negative Imperatives
The following are negative command forms for
regular ERE verbs:
tu
noi
voi
Non prendere! Non prendiamo!
Non prendete!
The following are negative command forms for
regular IRE verbs:
tu
noi
voi
Non finire!
Non finiamo!
Non finite!
Commands with Reflexive Verbs
When a reflexive verb is used in a command form, the
reflexive pronoun is attached to the end of the
conjugated verb.
For example:
tu
Svegliati!
voi
Sbrigatevi!