Questions about imperative

Question

Until now, I find imperative the hardest part of Spanish grammar, especially when it's combined with personal pronouns. I have the following questions:

1. If I have the structure "póngaselos" or any verb instead of "poner", how do I pronounce it? Do I give emphasis on the syllable with the tilde?

2. Now I have the verb "ponerse". Is it right to write "ponte" or "pónte"?

3. If I want to conjugate the 2nd plural (vosotros) of the verbs "sentarse, levantarse, acostarse", is it correct to say "sentaos, levantaos, acostaos"?

4. If I want to say in Spanish "Help me" in 2nd singular and 2nd plural (vosotros), would both be "ayudame" ?

Thank you in advance.

Answer 1

If I have the structure "póngaselos" or any verb instead of "poner", how do I pronounce it?

Like any other Spanish word: pon + ga + se + los. If you know how to read the individual syllables, just join them. "?????????" should sound pretty close.

Do I give emphasis on the syllable with the tilde?

Always! 100% No exceptions! For all words! You see an accent, you pronounce with stress. It is a bit trickier when the word doesn't have an accent, but when you see one is dead easy: you need stress here!

I thought modern Greek uses the acute accent (oxía) exactly like in Spanish.

Now I have the verb "ponerse". Is it right to write "ponte" or "pónte"?

The pronouns you are attached are always (100%) unstressed, so the main stress remains in the verbal form, as if the pronouns weren't there. "Pon" is only one syllable, and being a verb it must be stressed. "Pon", "ponte" and "Póntelo" have all the stress in "pon", but only the last one has a written accent because of the regular rules of the Spanish accent, i.e. because the stress is behind the penultimate syllable.

If I want to conjugate the 2nd plural (vosotros) of the verbs "sentarse, levantarse, acostarse", is it correct to say "sentaos, levantaos, acostaos"?

Yes. The "d" is dropped, except with the verb "ir", which the RAE says it is "idos" (but few native speakers know).

If I want to say in Spanish "Help me" in 2nd singular and 2nd plural (vosotros), would both be "ayudame" ?

Ayudadme [vosotros]

Ayúdame [tú] - This one has an accent because the stress is behind the penultimate syllable.

Gracias Lazarus. - ianta, Sep 1, 2011

Answer 2

•If I have the structure "póngaselos" or any verb instead of "poner", how do I pronounce it? Do I give emphasis on the syllable with the tilde?

Yes.

•Now I have the verb "ponerse". Is it right to write "ponte" or "pónte"?

Ponte. You only need the accent if the written verb otherwise breaks the rules of placing the accent on the next to last syllable.

•If I want to say in Spanish "Help me" in 2nd singular and 2nd plural (vosotros), would both be "ayudame" ?

Imperative of (you, sing) help me, informal: ayúdame.

Imperative of (you, sing) help me, formal: ayúdeme.

Imperative of (you, plural) help me, informal: ayúdanme.

Imperative of (you, plural) help me, formal: ayúdenme.

I hope this is helpful!

you plural informal depends on which country you're in. In Spain, Ayudadme. - pesta, Sep 1, 2011

Thank you Jeremias. - ianta, Sep 1, 2011