Lesson 14 – Impératif (Commands)
What will you learn?
In this lesson, you will learn how to:
- Give commands and instructions in French
- Use the impératif correctly
- Form affirmative and negative commands
- Use pronouns with the impératif
- Speak more naturally in real-life situations
1. What is the Impératif?
The impératif is used to:
- Give orders
- Give advice
- Make requests
Examples:
- Écoute ! (Listen!)
- Mange ! (Eat!)
- Regarde ! (Look!)
2. Subjects used
The impératif is used only with:
- tu
- nous
- vous
No subject pronoun:
Incorrect: Tu parle
Correct: Parle
3. How to form the Impératif
A. -ER verbs
Use present tense (without subject)
Example: parler
| Subject | Form |
|---|---|
| Tu | parle |
| Nous | parlons |
| Vous | parlez |
Important rule:
For tu, remove the “s”
Example:
- Tu parles → Parle
4. Other verbs
Finir
- Finis
- Finissons
- Finissez
Être
- Sois
- Soyons
- Soyez
Avoir
- Aie
- Ayons
- Ayez
5. Negative imperative
Structure:
ne + verb + pas
Examples:
- Ne parle pas
- Ne mange pas
- Ne soyez pas en retard
6. Imperative with Pronouns
A. Affirmative
Verb + pronoun
Examples:
- Donne-moi le livre
- Regarde-le
B. Negative
Pronoun comes before verb
Examples:
- Ne me donne pas le livre
- Ne le regarde pas
7. Common expressions
- Écoute !
- Regardez !
- Fais attention !
- Allez !
8. Examples
- Parle plus lentement
- Finis tes devoirs
- Soyez attentifs
- Ne parle pas en classe
9. Common mistakes
1. Keeping subject
Incorrect: Tu parle
Correct: Parle
2. Forgetting “s” rule
Incorrect: Parles
Correct: Parle
3. Wrong pronoun position
Incorrect: Donne le-moi
Correct: Donne-moi le
10. Exercises
Exercise 1 – Transform
- Tu parles → ______
- Nous finissons → ______
- Vous regardez → ______
Exercise 2 – Make negative
- Parle → ______
- Mange → ______
- Regardez → ______
Exercise 3 – Add pronoun
- Donne le livre à moi → ______
- Regarde le film → ______
Exercise 4 – Write sentences
Write 3 commands:
- One advice
- One order
- One negative
11. Speaking task
Speak for 1 minute:
Give instructions:
- In class
- At home
12. Writing task
Write 120–150 words:
“Conseils pour réussir”
Include:
- At least 5 imperative forms
- Positive and negative commands
Lesson summary
You can now:
- Use the impératif correctly
- Give commands and advice
- Use pronouns with commands
- Speak more naturally
Use impératif in real situations:
Parle plus lentement
Écoute bien