Command Form or Subjunctive?
I don't know much about the subjunctive yet, but I was reading a book about learning Spanish and it said something about when you're telling somebody to do something, you don't know if they're actually going to do it, so a lot of times you have to use the subjunctive or something like that.
If I wanted to say, for example, "Find the ball", would I use
the informal command: "Busca la pelota" or use
the informal subjunctive "Busques la pelota"?
4 Answers
Busca la pelota. (informal tú command-imperative)
Le mandé que él busque la pelota. (subjunctive volition)
All commands except affirmative tú and vosotros are based on the subjunctive
Here's how to form the subjunctive:
The affirmative informal (tú) commands are formed the same way as the present indicative Ud. form:
How to form informal commands:
All formal commands (usted) are based on the third person forms of the present subjunctive.
The plural forms are the same as the singular except for the addition of an -n.
Affirmative commands (usted and ustedes):
¡Hable! ¡Coma! ¡Viva! Speak! Eat! Live! (singular)
¡Hablen! ¡Coman! ¡Vivan! Speak! Eat! Live! (plural)
¡No hable! ¡No coma! ¡No viva! Don't speak! Don't eat! Don't live! (singular)
¡No hablen! ¡No coman! ¡No vivan! Don't speak! Don't eat! Don't live! (plural)
Búsque(n)lo usted(es). Look for it. (plural)
The link I posted above Informal tú commandshas that info - here's an excerpt 
The affirmative informal (tú) commands are formed the same way as the present indicative Ud. form:
(hablar - ar + a = habla)
(comer - er + e = come)
(escribir - ir + e = escribe)
I was talking about the informal commands, like if I were talking to little kids and one of them lost their ball and I told them to "Find the ball". What would be the best way to say that?
