Mastering Informal Commands: Your Ultimate Guide to Spanish Conjugation
Spanish is the second most widely spoken language in the world, with over 460 million speakers. If you’re learning Spanish, one of the fundamentals you need to master is the informal command form.
The informal command form is essential when it comes to addressing friends, family members, or children in Spanish. While it may seem complex at first, mastering informal commands will help you communicate effectively with native Spanish speakers and add depth to your understanding of the language.
In this article, we’ll take a comprehensive look at the informal command form and offer tips, rules, and examples to help you master it.
What are Informal Commands in Spanish?
Informal commands, also known as “familiar commands,” are used when speaking to someone you have a close relationship with, such as friends, family members, or children. In Spanish, the informal commands have two forms- positive and negative.
Positive informal commands are used to give instructions or make requests in a friendly way. For example:
-ábrelo (open it)
-come (eat)
-dime (tell me)
Negative informal commands, on the other hand, are used to give instructions or make requests in a negative, prohibiting way. For example:
-no hables (don’t speak)
-no comas (don’t eat)
-no salgas (don’t go out)
Forming Informal Commands in Spanish
To form the informal command forms, you can follow a few simple rules:
For positive commands:
1. Start with the infinitive verb form
2. Switch to “tú” or “vosotros” form depending on the country or region where you are learning Spanish.
For negative commands:
1. Start with the “yo” form of the present tense
2. Drop the “o” from the end of the verb
3. Add the negative command word “no”
Below are some examples:
Positive Commands:
-Hablar- Habla (Speak)
-Comer- Come (Eat)
-Estudiar- Estudia (Study)
Negative Commands:
-Hablar- No hables (Don’t speak)
-Comer- No comas (Don’t eat)
-Estudiar- No estudies (Don’t study)
Irregular Informal Commands in Spanish
Like other Spanish verb conjugations, informal commands have some irregularities that require special attention. Here are some commonly used irregular verbs that you should be familiar with:
– Hacer- Haz (Do)
– Ir- Ve (Go)
– Ser- Sé (Be)
– Decir- Di (Tell)
Using Informal Commands in Sentences
After constructing the informal commands, it is crucial to know how and when to use them in sentences. For instance, to give a suggestion or a simple order, use the positive informal command. For Example:
-“Ven aquí” (come here)
-“Habla más despacio” (speak more slowly)
-“Dime la verdad” (tell me the truth)
For a more robust and intricate order, use the negative informal commands, which help form negative requests and prohibitions. For example:
-“No hables con extraños” (don’t speak to strangers)
-“No bebas tanto” (don’t drink too much)
-“No comas carne cruda” (Don’t eat raw meat)
Conclusion
Mastering informal commands is crucial for a fruitful communication experience in Spanish. By following the above guidelines, you’ll be on the path to understanding and using informal commands in no time. Keep practicing with your language tutor or friends and immerse yourself in the language wherever and whenever you can. With patience and dedication, you’ll soon discover how the informal commands can make you sound like a native Spanish speaker.
