Formation of the imperative

CA96

The imperative of regular verbs is formed, in the singular number, by deleting the personal pronoun du and the ending -st of the second person singular of the present tense indicative:

imperative second person singular
spielen	öffnen	arbeiten

du spielst	du öffnest	du arbeitest	present tense conjugation

spiel *	öffne **	arbeite ***	imperative form

*	Seldom, but possible, is the addition of the suffix "e" (spiele).
**	The use of the suffix "e" is obligatory for verbs whose present tense stem ends in a plosive - or a fricative consonant + "n" or "m".
***	The suffix "e" is often added to verbs with a present tense stem ending in "-d/t", "-ig", "-el" or "-er". In such a case, the "e" of the "-el" and the "-er" ending can be omitted.

The imperative of irregular verbs is formed, in the singular number, by deleting the personal pronoun du and the ending -st of the second person singular of the present tense indicative. When the verb stem vowel takes an Umlaut (ä / äu / ö) , the Umlaut is omitted.

imperative second person singular
kommen	fahren	geben

du kommst	du fährst	du gibst	present tense conjugation

komm	fahr	gib *	imperative form

* Verbs that change their stem vowel from "i to ie" in the present tense, always form the imperative without the suffix "e" (exception: sehen).

CA96B

In plural, the imperative of both regular and irregular verbs is formed by deleting the personal pronoun ihr of the second person plural of the present tense indicative:

imperative second person plural (regular verbs)
spielen	öffnen	arbeiten

ihr spielt	ihr öffnet	ihr arbeitet	present tense conjugation

spielt	öffnet	arbeitet	imperative form

imperative second person plural (irregular verbs)
kommen	fahren	geben

ihr kommt	ihr fahrt	ihr gebt	present tense conjugation

kommt	fahrt	gebt	imperative form

CA96C

The polite form of the imperative of both regular and irregular verbs is formed by placing the personal pronoun Sie after the verb.

imperative second person plural (regular verbs)
spielen	öffnen	arbeiten

Sie spielen	Sie öffnen	Sie arbeiten	present tense conjugation

spielen Sie	öffnen Sie	arbeiten Sie	imperative form

imperative second person plural (irregular verbs)
kommen	fahren	geben

Sie kommen	Sie fahren	Sie geben	present tense conjugation

kommen Sie	fahren Sie	geben Sie	imperative form

CA96D

Exceptions in the formation of the imperative:

sein	haben	werden
sei	hab	werde	second person singular
seid	habt	werdet	second person plural
seien Sie	haben Sie	werden Sie	polite form

Modal verbs do not form the imperative.

Formation of the imperative

CA96

CA96A

CA96B

CA96C

CA96D