Commands! I need help.

Question

I simply don't understand. I don't understand when to use pon verses ponga or sientese vs sientase, or dobla vs. doble -- etc... When do I change the last letter to it's opposite. Is there an easy rule for this!?

Hi and welcome to the forum! - Nicole-B, Dec 12, 2011

Answer 1

Tú commands

For the familiar(informal) affirmative commands, use the 3rd person singular form of the present indicative. Except the 8 verbs which have a special irregular form in the affirmative command.

decir di

salir sal

hacer haz

ser sé

ir ve

tener ten

poner pon

venir ven

Formal commands

All Ud. (usted) and Uds. (ustedes) commands are the same as the Ud. and Uds. present subjunctive forms. There are no exceptions, but some subjunctive forms are irregular, and the commands follow that.

Generally, for an informal command, you will not change the last letter, and for a formal command you will, but you must keep in mind the irregulars, and actually use the rules as cited above.

thank you so much for taking the time to answer my question. This is very helpful. - 123katarina123, Dec 12, 2011

One other question, I understand not that in genral you change the letter if it is formal -- but it it is Ustedes (you all and informal) do you still change the letter. Example: a teacher telling students to Dance: Bailen? - 123katarina123, Dec 12, 2011

Yes, that is correct, in Spanish from outside Spain (in Spain more likely Vosotros would be used, which is another different command form). Ustedes works pretty much like Usted with an "n"on the end. :-) - Stadt, Dec 12, 2011

One last question: I promise - my lesson shows a boss telling a girl on an interview to sit: the boss says "Sientese" however the lesson continues to show a dr. tell a little girl to sit by saying sientate - 123katarina123, Dec 12, 2011

Remember outside Spain typically there is no distinction between formal and informal in the plural form, you generally use Ustedes for both formal and informal. - Stadt, Dec 12, 2011

I'm curious to why the boss doesn't say sientase and the dr say sientete. thanks for the quick answers! - 123katarina123, Dec 12, 2011

very helpful... but I'm not sure what to do with the dr to the little girl and the boss to the prospective employee... Do you know why the dr. doesn't say sientete instead of sientate. I hope I'm not bother you! - 123katarina123, Dec 12, 2011

sit- sentar- so siéntate (informal) or siéntese (formal). Siéntete would imply it came from the verb sentir- to feel, I do not have much experience using that verb as a command. - Stadt, Dec 12, 2011

Similiarly siéntase would be from the verb sentir, but the formal form. A doctor talking to a child I would expect informal. A boss to a prospective employee would really depend on the situation and where it is. - Stadt, Dec 12, 2011

Spain goes quite easily to the informal, but in parts of South America you use formal for almost every adult to adult situation you would be likely to encounter. It is a very difficulat subject, and I am by no means an expert. - Stadt, Dec 12, 2011

Answer 2

If you want to tell your peer or your friend or someone younger etc to do something you use the tú form (or the vosotros form if you're in Spain and there's more than one person).

If you are speaking to unfamiliar people or those to whom you want to show a bit more respect you use the usted form (or ustedes form if there's more than one person).

I find these verb charts very helpful, you will find the command forms at the bottom.

Poner Commands

thank you! The chart is helpul! - 123katarina123, Dec 12, 2011

el placer es mío :) - Kiwi-Girl, Dec 12, 2011

Answer 3

Check out this reference section totally dedicated to the commands. I think you will find it very helpful.

Also so helpul! Thank you! - 123katarina123, Dec 12, 2011