Gramática: Los mandatos (Commands)

Spanish commands, otherwise known as imperatives, are verb forms used to directly address someone and give them an order.

Usted y ustedes mandatos: Formal Commands

Let's begin the studies of the formal commands by watching this video lesson. Be prepared to take notes. You can pause this video lesson at any time.

Video source: Maestro Kaplan (via YouTube; used with permission, all rights reserved)

Usted and ustedes commands are used in situations where you would tell someone or a group of people with whom you have a formal or respectful relationship to do something. These commands are a good place to start because they're the easiest and also because it's better to treat someone as usted when you're supposed to use tú than the other way around. Also, outside of Spain (where vosotros is used), the only way to command a group of people is to use an ustedes command.

Affirmative Usted y Ustedes Mandatos

To change a verb into an affirmative usted or ustedes command simply use the appropriate subjunctive conjugation:

**Affirmative Commands - Examples**
Singular/Plural	hablar	correr	repetir
Usted	hable	corra	repita
Ustedes	hablen	corran	repitan

There are no irregular usted or ustedes commands. However, there are many irregular subjunctive conjugations that would be useful to remember. A few of them:

**Affirmative Commands - Examples with Irregular Verbs**
Singular/Plural	dar	ser	ir
Usted	dé	sea	vaya
Ustedes	den	sean	vayan

Negative Usted y Ustedes Mandatos

Usted or ustedes commands are easy to change into negative commands (where you tell someone not to do something). Simply add no:

**Negative Commands - Examples**
Singular/Plural	hablar	correr	repetir
Usted	no hable	no corra	no repita
Ustedes	no hablen	no corran	no repitan

Practice Activity: Los mandatos

[CC BY-NC-SA 4.0] UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED | IMAGES: LICENSED AND USED ACCORDING TO TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTION - INTENDED ONLY FOR USE WITHIN THE LESSON.