1. Tú Commands
(Los mandatos de la forma tú)
Dame la linterna,
por favor.

2. Think like él.
For regular affirmative commands . . .
The regular affirmative tú command
has the same form as the él form of
the verb in the present indicative.
Tú Commands

3. Él habla.  ¡Habla tú!
Él come.  ¡Come tú!
Él escribe.  ¡Escribe tú!
For regular affirmative commands . . .
Tú Commands
He speaks. Speak!
He eats. Eat!
He writes. Write!

4. Revert to the subjunctive.
The negative tú command has the same form as
the tú form of the verb in the present subjunctive.
For regular negative commands . . .
Tú Commands

5. ¡Habla! ¡No hables!
¡Come! ¡No comas!
¡Escribe! ¡No escribas!
Affirmative Negative
For regular negative commands . . .
Tú Commands
Speak! Don’t speak!
Eat! Don’t eat!
Write! Don’t write!

6. Tú Commands
NegativeInfinitive
comprar
escribir
comer
pensar
dormir
pedir
(Subjunctive)Affirmative
traer
compra
escribe
come
piensa
duerme
pide
trae
no compres
no escribas
no comas
no pienses
no duermas
no pidas
no traigas
(compres)
(escribas)
(comas)
(pienses)
(duermas)
(pidas)
(traigas)
In Capítulo 11 you learned that formal commands used the
forms of the subjunctive. The informal (tú) commands, by
contrast, use the subjunctive only in their negative forms.
Notice the following chart.

7. Tú Commands
Remember . . .
Regular affirmative tú commands have the same form as the
third-person singular of the present indicative.
Recicla los platos de papel. Recycle the paper plates.
Protege nuestros bosques. Protect our forests.
Negative tú commands use the subjunctive.
No cortes los árboles pequeños. Don’t cut down the small
trees.
No cierres la fábrica todavía. Don’t close the factory
yet.
Irregularities in the subjunctive will also appear in the
negative tú commands.
No conduzcas tan rápido. Don’t drive so fast.
No te vayas. Don’t leave.

8. T
Verbs with irregular affirmative forms
D
V
S
V
H
I
P
S
ener
ecir
enir
alir
aler
acer
r
oner
er
ten
di
ven
sal
val
haz
ve
pon
sé
no tengas
no digas
no vengas
no salgas
no valgas
no hagas
no vayas
no pongas
no seas
When listed in the following order, the initial letters of each verb
provide the acronym TVVDSHIPS, a useful memory device.
Verb Affirmative command Negative command

9. Ten confianza.
Di la verdad.
Ven a mi oficina.
Sal inmediatamente.
Val algo.
Haz la inspección.
Ve a la reunión.
Pon el libro en la mesa.
Sé amable con todos.
No tengas miedo.
No digas tonterías.
No vengas tarde.
No salgas sin mí.
No te valgas del dinero.
No me hagas enojar.
No te vayas.
No pongas esa cara.
No seas grosero.
Verbs with irregular affirmative forms
Some sample sentences using irregular forms:

10. Object pronouns with tú commands
As with the formal commands, attach pronouns to the end of
affirmative commands and place them in front of the
negative command. Remember to place an accent on the
next-to-last syllable of the verb in the affirmative command
form.
Recíclala mañana.
Recycle it tomorrow.
No le pongas la multa a la estudiante.
Don’t give the fine to the student.

11. Object pronouns with tú commands
The irregular affirmative command forms (except for sé) do
not take a written accent unless more than one pronoun is
added to the end of the verb.
Dime, ¿adónde vas?
Tell me, where are you going?
¿Sabes su teléfono? Dímelo, por favor.
Do you know his telephone number? Tell
it to me, please.
¿La mesa? Sí, ponla por favor.
The table? Yes, set it, please.

12. FIN