This document provides instruction on using the imperative mood in French. It begins by defining the imperative as a verb mood used to give commands, express desires, make requests, or offer advice. It then explains the conjugations of the imperative for tu, nous, and vous. The rest of the document gives examples of commands using common verbs in the informal tu form and the formal vous form, provides lists of verbs to practice with, and includes exercises to have the learner provide commands in the imperative mood.

1. THE IMPERATIVE

2. OBJECTIVE(S)
You will be able to:
Give a command in a formal
(vous) and informal (tu) form
with the verbs in ER, RE,
and IR

3. The imperative l'impératif
The imperative, called l'impératif in French, is a verb mood which we
used to give an order
 express a desire
 make a request
 offer advice
 recommend something
French imperative conjugations are relatively simple. There are only
three grammatical persons that can be used in the imperative: tu, nous,
and vous, and most of the conjugations are the same as the present
tense - the only difference is that the subject pronoun is not used in the
imperative.
Tu Nous Vous
Ferme la porte Fermons la porte Fermez la porte.
Close the door. Le’t close the door close the door

4. L’IMPÉRATIF (INFORMAL (TU))
 When you tell someone to do something you use the
command form of a verb. The imperative (impératif).
 To give a command to someone in an informal way you use
the tu form of the verb minus the –s. without tu .
Examples:
 Tu dances (you dance/ you are dancing)
 Dance! (Dance!) (dancer ER verbs)
 Tu vends (you sell/ you are selling)
 Vend! (sell!) (Vendre RE verbs)
 Tu finis (you finish/ you are finishing)
 Fini! (Finish!) (finir IR verbs)

5. L’IMPÉRATIF (FORMAL WAY -VOUS)
 To give a command to someone you address in a
formal way, use the form vous of the verb without
the pronoun.
Examples:
 Vous dansez (you dance/you are dancing)
 Dansez! (Dance!) ER verbs
 Vous vendez (you sell/you are selling)
 Vendez! (sell!) Re verbs
 Vous finissez (you finish? You are finishing)
 Finissez! Finish! IR verbs

6. L’IMPÉRATIF
The command for nous(let’s dance!, Let’s sing!) is
the same as the conjugated form of the verb for
nous. The subject pronoun (nous) is omitted.
Examples:
 Dansons! = let’s dance! (dancer Er verbs)
 vendons! Let’s sell (vendre RE verbs)!
 finissons = Let’s finish (finir IR verbs)

7. LIST OF VERBS
1.To Sing =Chanter 2. to lose = perdre
3.To answer = reondre 4. to wait = attendre
5. To speak =parler 6. to cure = guérir
7. To watch = regarder 8. to hear = entendre
9. To swim! = nager 10. to punish = punir!
11. To eat= manger 12. to obey = obeir
13. To listen=écouter 14. to jump = sauter
15. To study = étudier 16. to finish = finir
17. To land = attérir 18. to choose = choisir
19.To get fat = grossir 20. to think = penser
21. To succeed = réussir 22. To feed = nourrir
23. To work = travailler 24. to close - fermer

8. Tell how to do the following things in an
informal form in french.
parler
regarder
chanter
sauter
nager
étidier
finir
manger perdre choisir

9. Tell how to do the following things in informal form
in Fench.
1.Sing! 2. Answer!
3. Speak French! 4. Lost!
5. Watch TV! 6. Wait!
7. Swim! 8. Cure!
9. Eat! 10. Hear!
11. Listen! 12. Punish!
13. Study! 14. Bless!
15. Land! 16. obey!

10. Tell someone older than you the following in
French.
1. Sing! 2. Get fat!
3. Speak! 4. Cure!
5. Talk! 6. Feed!
7. Swim! 8. Think!
9. Study! 10. Answer!
11. Watch TV! 12. Succeed!
13. listen! 14. Get off!
15. Finish 16. lose!

11. Écrivez l’impératif.
Write the imperative form of the verb in French
1. Eat!(vous) 2. sell! (tu)
3. Jump! (Vous) 4. Answer! (vous)
5. Sing!(tu) 6. to get fat!(tu)
7. Let’dance! 8. Obei!(nous)
9. Let’s work! 10. Let’s wait!
11. Look!(tu) 12. Jump! (tu)
13. Listen (vous)

12. MERCI
POUR
VOTRE PARTICIPATION