French Imperative Mood: How to Give Commands, Advice, and Directions

Whether you want to ask for directions in Paris, follow a French recipe, or offer advice to a friend, mastering the French imperative mood (l'impératif présent) is an indispensable step on your language learning journey.

Contrary to popular belief, the imperative is not solely reserved for military-style commands. In French, it is commonly used to give instructions, share tips, extend warm invitations, and issue polite warnings. Here is our complete, step-by-step E-E-A-T guide to using the French imperative accurately and naturally.

1. What Makes the Imperative Mood Unique?

Unlike indicative tenses, the French imperative has two defining characteristics:

1. It exists in only three grammatical persons:

  • Tu (singular informal you): Used when speaking to a friend, child, pet, or peer.
  • Nous (the we form): Equivalent to English "Let's...".
  • Vous (plural or formal you): Used when addressing several people or someone you treat with formal respect.

2. Subject pronouns are dropped entirely:

  • Écoute ! (Listen!)
  • Mangeons ! (Let's eat!)
  • Venez ici ! (Come here!)

    • You do not say "Tu écoutes !" or "Vous venez !". The subject pronoun is omitted completely:

    2. Conjugation Rules: The Essential "Drop the -s" Rule

Conjugating regular verbs in the imperative generally mirrors the present indicative, with one critical spelling exception.

The Golden Rule for -ER Verbs (and Aller)

For all verbs ending in -er (including first-group verbs and the irregular verb aller), you must drop the final "s" in the tu form:

  • Present tense: Tu parles ➔ Imperative: Parle ! (Speak!)
  • Present tense: Tu regardes ➔ Imperative: Regarde ! (Look!)
  • Present tense: Tu vas ➔ Imperative: Va ! (Go!)

    • The Euphony Exception (With Y and En)

  • Va à la gare ! ➔ Vas-y ! (Go there!)
  • Mange des légumes ! ➔ Manges-en ! (Eat some!)

    • When an -ER verb in the tu form is followed by the adverbial pronouns y (there) or en (some/of it), the "s" returns alongside a hyphen. This prevents awkward vocal pauses between vowels:

    Other Verb Groups (-IR and -RE)

  • Finir (To finish) ➔ Finis ! / Finissons ! / Finissez !
  • Attendre (To wait) ➔ Attends ! / Attendons ! / Attendez !
  • Prendre (To take) ➔ Prends ! / Prenons ! / Prenez !

    • For regular verbs in the second and third conjugation groups, the tu form retains its standard final -s:

    3. Four Irregular Verbs You Must Know

Four high-frequency French verbs deviate from standard patterns and draw their imperative stems from the subjunctive mood:

Infinitive Tu Nous Vous
Être (to be) Sois Soyons Soyez
Avoir (to have) Aie Ayons Ayez
Savoir (to know) Sache Sachons Sachez
Vouloir (to want/wish) Veuille Veuillons Veuillez
  • Sois sage. (Be good / Be well-behaved.)
  • N'aie pas peur. (Don't be afraid.)
  • Sachez que nous sommes ravis de vous accueillir. (Know that we are delighted to welcome you.)
  • Veuillez vous asseoir. (Please have a seat – highly formal and polite).

    • Key examples in context:

    4. Object Pronoun Placement with the Imperative

Pronoun placement changes significantly depending on whether the command is affirmative or negative.

Affirmative Commands (Hyphenated After the Verb)

  • Appelle-moi ce soir. (Call me tonight.)
  • Dépêche-toi ! (Hurry up!)
  • Donne-le-moi. (Give it to me.)

    • In positive commands, object pronouns (direct, indirect, and reflexive) attach behind the verb with a hyphen. Moreover, me and te become the stressed forms moi and toi:

    Negative Commands (Standard Position)

  • Ne m'appelle pas ce soir. (Don't call me tonight.)
  • Ne te dépêche pas. (Don't hurry.)
  • Ne me le donne pas. (Don't give it to me.)

    • In negative commands (prohibitions), the structure reverts to standard indicative order. Pronouns sit in front of the verb, sandwiched inside the negation (ne ... pas):

    5. Cultural Politeness: Softening Commands in French

Direct commands can sound abrupt or harsh in French social settings. Native speakers rely on subtle strategies to soften their tone:

1. Add courtesy markers: Attach « s'il vous plaît » (formal) or « s'il te plaît » (informal) to blunt commands.

2. Use polite imperative formulas: « Veuillez patienter » is standard professional etiquette in emails and public announcements.

3. Switch to the conditional mood: When asking for a favor in everyday life, French speakers often opt for « Pourriez-vous... ? » (Could you...?) rather than a direct imperative.

By keeping these foundational rules in mind—especially omitting the subject pronoun and removing the "s" on -ER verbs—you will communicate clearly, confidently, and naturally in any French-speaking environment.