A question about the imperative tense

Question

I'm currently using Rosetta Stone and there is an example used for the imperative, you (Plural) form of Lavar which is stated as 'Lavaos'. I checked the imperative, you (Plural) form of Lavar and it is shown as 'Lavad'. Is it possible for somebody to explain what the difference is between these two? And where I may be getting confused.

Thanks

Welcome to SD - please complete your SD profile - it is nice to know a little about each other. - ian-hill, Dec 27, 2015

Answer 1

See this lesson

http://www.spanishdict.com/answers/100065/vosotros-commands#.VoAOrxUrK70

For the affirmitive command

Vosotros Command Formula

drop the infinitive -r, add a -d

• When giving a vosotros command with a reflexive verb, remove the final -d and add the vosotros reflexive pronoun os to the end of the verb. • • Niños, cepillaos los dientes. (Children, brush your teeth.) • • ¡Callaos, por favor! (Be quiet, please!)

Callaos is more literally quiet yourselves.

When an item is a body part (this holds true for items of personal clothing and some other things) it is most typical in Spanish to use the reflexive form

Me lavo las manos- I wash myself, the hands

not Lavo mis manos- literally I wash my hands- but horrible Spanish.

Lavad plus os, as per the above lesson becomes lavaos

Wash yourselves.

Lavaos las manos. Wash your hands (Wash yourselves, the hands)

But Lavad ese coche. Wash that car.

You are not telling them to wash themselves with that- rather an external item.

Okay, this makes a lot of sense. Muchas gracias - MilesOseliM, Dec 27, 2015

De nada.:) - bosquederoble, Dec 27, 2015

Excellent answer, Bosque. - annierats, Dec 27, 2015

Answer 2

Click here - this may help you.